Exquisite Pasta (and More!) at Serafina Osteria

I know that there are tons of new and exciting restaurants popping up all over New York every second, but honestly, given that I only make it back here about once or twice a year, I prefer to rely on old favorites, which is why this trip, I made sure to make time for Serafina Osteria.

The Serafina mini chain features nearly 20 restaurants throughout the New York area as well as in Los Angeles and Puerto Rico, and while I grew up visiting the one on 79th and Madison (and digging into their thin-crust pizzas), in recent years, I’ve become a much bigger fan of the Osteria on 58th Street.

My dad, lover of all things Italian, was the one who turned me onto it. The location in Midtown makes it perfect for a lunch with visiting guests, and the smaller dining room is a bit more intimate than the one on 79th, not to mention more accessible (the latter is up a pretty steep flight of stairs).

There are a few standbys at the Osteria: the burrata is exquisite, when they have it, and the melon and prosciutto can’t be beat. But on a recent trip, we opted for some non-traditional appetizers, and we weren’t disappointed.

The grilled calamari is perfectly cooked and served with a mound of baby lettuces and a half a lemon.

The chicken livers are glazed in sweet balsamic and served with a slightly more bitter salad that’s the perfect pair.

Main-wise, you can’t go wrong with the pastas. The stolichnaya pasta – Osteria’s version of a classic penne alla vodka – comes with a rich, creamy tomato sauce and chunks of bacon.

The pasta al salmone is made with fresh tagliolini and just the right amount of cream.

My personal favorite is featured up top: the bucatini all’amatriciana, with pancetta, tomato, and basil.

The dining room may be small, but I’ve never had a problem walking into Osteria sans reservation for a hearty afternoon lunch to fuel hours of walking and sightseeing.

Serafina Osteria – 38 E 58th Street (at Madison)