I've been here twice. I enjoyed the food the first time better. They seated us in the back corner which is fine but it was right next to the heating unit and it was super hot. I got the mushroom risotto and it was perfect. We were also given marinated olives and bread to start. Second time I went was about 7 months later. I ordered the same mushroom risotto but it was undercooked and runny this time. And we only got bread to start with, no olives. Not sure if that was just a one time thing? I would recommend this place but i was disappointed the risotto wasn't the same.

We went to Gradisca when my father came to visit us in the city. The man loves good Italian food and as a member of the senior set, he appreciates a decently lit establishment that isn't too loud (and I appreciate nobody blinding me with their phone's flashlight while I'm looking at a menu). Gradisca was absolutely perfect for a relaxing, comfortable evening. All night long, the service was excellent without being intrusive. Unlike many other restaurants in the area, we never felt rushed or hurried, and we were allowed to linger even after our drinks and desserts had been cleared. The menu seems to change relatively seasonally, so you may find different food on the menu each time you go. We each ordered pasta, and the portions were modest but exquisite in flavor. One of the best parts of the menu was the tiramisu, which was insanely delicious. I'm still dreaming about it and have attempted to create it but to no avail. Thanks for a wonderful dinner, Gradisca!

The restaurant was lovely we hear ourselves talk and the food was oh so good!! I had the halibut which I recommend highly!! Every thing we ordered was basically fresh and well made!! It's a small intimate place with good food!! I loved it!

I usually would never pick an Italian spot for dinner. I like Italian but I've become that snob that only likes Italian food when in Italy....LOL! I hate myself for it...but that's besides the point. I ended up here for a university alumni board dinner for about 15 people. When you walk in, someones nonna is making pasta... that's a lovely sight. It had a cozy feel...very good for a date night. Anywho, our waiter was very accommodating and a little bit of a know it all in the best way possible. He kept our wine and cocktail glasses full! He even picked out my meal... I got the special of the night, the short rib w/ bone marrow and purred parsnips. YUMMMY!!! I believe the rest of the patrons at the table enjoyed their food because there was a hush over the crowd and plates were left empty...so that's a good sign. Soooo maybe, I'll be a non snob every once and awhile and venture here for some Italian food once a quarter. ;-)

Saturday night... We wanna go out but we made no reservations! Scramble, scramble, scramble... luckily we found Gradisca. We enjoyed the neighborhood feel of this place, tucked discreetly among rows of brownstones... Inside, the lively (loud) and upbeat ambiance contrasted surprisingly well with the dark, red, cozy interiors. We were expecting good, ol' fashioned classic Italian dishes, but we were only partially justified in that believe. We started out with an interesting but tasty take on a flatbread starter (not old school at all)... And then we had a couple of delicious, updated versions of classics in the lasagna (tasty) and gnocchi (borderline special). Then the old-school kicked in with the entrees (the chicken and the meatballs)... We were looking for "complete plates" with sides and such, but the meatballs were basically meatballs and the chicken basically chicken. Very tasty, but expected and way over-priced for what it was. We rounded things out with a few strong cocktails and left this restaurant pretty happy. So I'd definitely recommend this neighborhood spot for its apps and pastas, not so much for its entrees. But overall, a good time to be had by all...

We came here twice before, once for Valentine's Day, and once again for my birthday. Both times did not disappoint us. Once again, we came back here for this Valentine's Day. Even though there were some new faces, service was still great! "Gradisca lives up to its name with authentic Italian cuisine and a sensational cellar" - it is not a joke. The brick-walled restaurant made the ambiance so cozy. It's great for small groups or for dates. The roses petals placed on top of each tables made it so romantic for the perfect occasion, Valentine's Day. Here was what we ordered, Appetizer: Crème Brulee di Pecorino - this is our all time favorite! It is pecorino crème brulee, served with red onion marmalade and carasau bread! So veryyyy tasty!!!!! Entrees: Carbonara (mancini spaghetti, farm egg, pecorino, guanciale, tellicherry black pepper) - the bf thought this was excellent! Pappardelle con Ragù d'Agnello (egg pappardelle, herb lamb ragu, pecorino romano) - this was magnificent! I JUST LOVED HOW THE LAMB TASTED! And the pappardelle was well cooked! I wish: This past visit, the Crème Brulee di Pecorino was different than the previous times we visited the restaurant. The red onion marmalade used to come in its own container along with the pecorino creme brulee. However, this time, the marmalade was served on top of the creme brulee. We did enjoy it more when the marmalade was served on the side instead of being on top of the creme brule, obviously because the marmalade portion was more generous than this time, and mainly because, they do pair so well together. Perhaps, the chef can consider plating it the way that it was! Nevertheless, it is still so very tasty! Tips: 1) MUST ORDER THEIR TIRAMISU!!!!!! 2) The portion of the pasta is bigger than we thought. There is an option to get halve or split orders! 3) Prices are fair especially for an authentic Italian cuisine like this one, located in the city! P.S. We'll be back, regardless! =D

First time visiting Gradisca, and we loved every minute of it. Not one bad dish, not one thing we said we wished we hadn't ordered. I was with two other people, and we ordered a bunch of dishes to share, which I really recommend at this place. You want to try all the different flavors. For appetizers, we had the polpette -- three small meatballs, which was perfect for our group. The meatballs were small, but extremely flavorful. Perfect balance of sauce -- again, flavorful, but not drowning in it. We had a polenta that was prepared with bolognese sauce -- light and delicious. Adding to that, we had the ruchetta salad. Wonderful combination, loved the dressing. Main courses: We shared two pastas and a veggie -- the tortellini alla panna was phenomenal. Like the meatballs, the tortellini were very small, but full of flavor. The sauce was decadently creamy, but not overwhelmingly so. We also shared the carbonara, which was probably the best carbonara I've ever had. Guanciale, not bacon. Lovely. Add to that a side of brussels sprouts, and we were satisfied, but not overwhelmed. This gave us room for dessert! There are several desserts to choose from; our server told us that they are known for their tiramisu -- so we shared that, as well as trying a few of the gelati. The tiramisu was the lightest I've ever had -- really enjoyed it. We tried the chocolate, hazelnut and strawberry gelati -- all excellent, especially the strawberry. Above all, we need to give a shout out to Luca, who was the person taking orders and managing the tables. He was so friendly, charming and accommodating -- and he was that way with every table there. This is a real Italian place -- do not go here if you want to sit for 45 minutes and then head out. We had a three-hour meal, which, like in Italy, allowed us to truly enjoy our meal and our time together. Part of that enjoyment was the timing and attention we got from Luca and all the servers. If you're not sure what to have, ask him -- he knows his stuff. I cannot wait to return. What a find!

A really lovely spot tucked away in the West Village. Showed up a bit early to a dinner with 2 friends, met one at the bar to pass some time. The bartender was super friendly and was more than helpful in getting scoop on the restaurant's best dishes. She also made a very decent Manhattan and shared some advice on the local eat/foodie/shameless instagram scene. When our 3rd showed up, we were quickly seated. Our waiter was very helpful and friendly...and appreciated my feeble attempts at testing my childhood Italian vocab. We started off with the complementary bread, service with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. For apps, we ordered the: Piadina Prosciutto e Mozzarella: piadina atbread, prosciutto di parma, mozzarella - essentially an Italian style quesadilla...so what's not to like? Polenta (special) - crispy, yummy, yay. Catalana di Polpo e Gamberi - steamed octopus and shrimp, fennel, celery, taggia olives, orange citronette. This is my choice, and it was a good choice. the best choice. a trump choice. light, delicious, ample fish. A great choice to balance out the carbo-blast to come. Mains: Tortellini Panna, Prosciutto e Piselli - mama caterina's meat-lled tortellini, parmigiano cream sauce, cotto ham, english peas: tiny little homemade tortellini stuff with delicious cream sauce. Not my main, but what I tasted was delicious and hearty. Cavatelli Scarola, Melanzane e Pomodoro - cavatelli, escarole, eggplant, tomato, basil, ricotta salata: tasty, but also somewhat the least adventurous of the mains. A solid safety dish. Pappardelle di Ceci con Ragù di Anatra - chickpea pappardelle, slow cooked duck ragout, candied orange. This was my main...I was torn between this and the crab/lobster ragu, but the waiter's advice steered me towards the pappardelle. No Regerts (regerts? no milkways at dinner, dessert was still to come). Great homemade pasta, nice hearty duck ragu...fantastic. Side of broccoli rabe also made it's way to balance the cacophony of starches. Nice amount of garlic...and that's about all I could ask for. And...dessert: Tiramisu - I am by no mean's a tarimusi guy. Never a first choice for me. But, as fellow yelpers have mentioned...Gradisca makes a damn fine one. Very nice balance of light vs. rich. Cannoli alla Nocciola - hazelnut cream filled cannoli. This was very good, no doubt. Was the tiramisu the clear victor...yes. Did I enjoy this nonetheless? Yes. Gradisca is a friendly place with great food and great service. Repped.