Bar Pitti Restaurant Review

This Bar Pitti restaurant review may make you laugh, cringe, smile or just plain hungry. Continue on to read all about this West Village hotspot.

Welcome to New York

New York has a high concentration of people who don’t like to hear “no” for an answer. Some of them can be and act fairly entitled. If you’re entitled and a nice person, that’s one thing. But entitled and rude? Let’s just say a small part of you gloats when things don’t go their way.Case in point: I’m in a sea of impeccably dressed foreigners and locals, patiently awaiting an outdoor table at one of my favorite restaurants, Bar Pitti.

A smartly dressed woman approaches the Italian host and says, “How long is the wait?”

“Forty-five minutes,” Italian Host curtly replies, not bothering to make eye contact.

“Well, we come here all the time."

Italian Host looks directly at Smartly Dressed Woman and says, “Lady, everyone here comes here all the time.” With that, Italian Host walks away. Smartly Dressed Woman looks incredulous, and Italian Host is my momentary hero.

I'll have the brusque, please

If you don’t mind Italian food with a side of gruff, Bar Pitti is the place for you. Why would you put up with this? Of course, the food is really good. It’s unfussy, fresh, and satisfying. Pastas, salads, and paninis appear at your table in record time and there is often enough for leftovers. The wine is cheap and imbibeable. But Bar Pitti also has a flair for the dramatic that is wholly Italian. The staff doesn’t care who you are. Rich, poor, famous or pedestrian, all are welcome here and treated equally. Waiters bark at each other in Italian. Sometimes the wait is longer than your dinner. You are guaranteed five different waiters over the course of an hour, and get rushed out even if half your bottle of wine remains. All of this just adds to its charm, and if you can put up with brusqueness, this West Village hotspot is a must for outdoor dining in the warmer months. (Winter has its appeal, too, but the inside seating is admittedly tight.)

So, order your food, drink up, eat as slowly as you can to prolong your stay, but get out once you’re done. A party of four is waiting for your table, and make sure not to bump J. Lo with the back of your chair as you leave.

Bar Pitti Restaurant Review

Location: 268 6^th Avenue, New York, NY 10014

Menu: Summer 2018

Service: Lunch and dinner

Price: $$

Vibe: Sceney, lively, très chic

Good For: Outdoor lunch or dinner with your partner or a small group (dog and kid friendly), to go

Standout Dishes: Rigatoni Pitti, pesto spaghetti, penne with meat sauce, veal scallopini, arugula salad with parmesan, tiramisu, panna cotta

Heads Up: Bar Pitti is cash only. There is an ATM near the downstairs bathrooms.

You can always get a seat at lunch, but expect a wait at dinner if it’s primetime (6-9pm). The host on duty is whoever is barking the most (there’s no bite, I promise). Tell him the size of your party and if you want indoor or outdoor seating. He won’t write your name down, but he won’t forget you. Just make sure to hover outside on the sidewalk.

Their gluten-free pasta is quite good, though there have been two occasions where it was undercooked. They were quick to remedy this.

For IBS clients, the food is quite simple and you can ask for things garlic-free (as long as it’s not a pre-prepped item). The salads are tasty with clearly stated ingredients, but I would make sure to ask for balsamic and olive for dressing. Onion might sneak in here or there in the pasta sauces, but if you can tolerate it, the meat sauce with gluten-free pasta is really good.

Overall Rating: 3 (Great). No nonsense Italian food that offers an array of options, from hearty to light.

Need help getting in touch with the intuitive eater inside? I offer one-on-one sessions which can be conducted in my office, on the phone or computer. I can also accompany you in-person to a restaurant of your choice, or virtually as you sit down with a favorite food. Contact me for more details.