Gemma

I wanted to be impressed. Alas no. Arugula and Parmesan salad was bland and tasteless. Service mediocre and it was not busy! I paid a fortune for my meal — and it was a special occasion. Smarten up your act Gemma!!!

Unfortunately for Gemma, they are now a 3 star review. The food is still the same, however, the service is very poor. On the last few occasions, the waiter has either been slow to great out table, mixed up the orders, and served tables arriving after us first. This is too bad since it was a very good value.

I was there last night for my daughters birthday. My daughter had an argument with my son, which does happen between siblings. All seem to settle down in about 5 minutes. Management came to my table and handed me my check with the request that I leave the restaurant. I am 66 years old and total embarrassed by the actions of my children, but that did not give the management the right to force me out of hand from there establishment. As far as being good hosts that are rated an «F». As far as the food goes stick with Pasta, Salad and Pizza. They over cook main dishes and undersize their portions. Instead of being reactionary, they should listen to their patrons. I should have refused the bill and just left a tip for the waiter.

The best tiramisu I’ve ever had. I also highly recommend the Baby Beats salad – the combination of goat cheese and pistachio is unexpectedly excellent. Great ambiance, great service, no complaints here.

Lovely outdoor dining. Indoors looks cool too. Spinach ravioli has lots if fresh spinach with creamy cheese inside with fresh tomatoes in the sauce. Husband had rigatoni with sausage — sweet & spicy. Portions were in the small side, which we enjoyed. Service was pleasant if a bit sporadic.

So overrated, it’s crazy. The pasta and pizza had no salt and pepper and it came out cold. Once it got a bit crowded we were ignored by our waiter. The bus boys mixed up all of the foods when it came out. I’m
Just not sure I get the hype here…

the menu selection at gemma
is one of the best in the city. when it comes to Italian classics old and new. gemma has them — down & they are all delicious. simple ingredients /​intelligently executed. you cant go wrong with this Nolita gem. When in doubt — Gemma.

I loved the atmosphere of this place, it’s a darker setting during the evening. They candles all over that are very mansion like. The pizza is pretty tasty if I do say so myself. Everyone was very helpful especially with trying to decide what to get the large group, especially the waiter. It looks like this place must be very good for a decent sized crowd at 11pm on a Wednesday night. Will return.

My favorite place in NYC!
Great Italian/​American cuisine. This is a great trendy restaurant, yet cozy and comfortable. When the weather is nice there’s seating outside (good for people watching)
They don’t take reservations for parties smaller than 8 or 9. So wait can be a little long, but you can grab a drink at the bar in the mean time
Overall, great place. For brunch, lunch and dinner!

This is my kind of brunch place because their menu is full of savory dishes like POLENTA AND EGGS and BLACK TRUFFLE AND POTATO FRITTATA. And if you start your brunches at 12 noon like me, you can also order pasta for your first meal of the day. Go ahead. Treat yo self!
My favorite dish was the BAKED EGGS, AVOCADO, PROSCIUTTO dish. The eggs are served over easy and swim in the red sauce flanked by avocado and prosciutto. It comes with two pieces of lightly toasted Tuscan bread. The red tomato sauce is finger lickin good. So good that I wiped down the dish til the very last drop with my bread. This is a must try if you are sharing plates but I had this all to myself and it was just the right portion.
My friend ordered the PROTEIN breakfast and it was huge portion. Definitely a hungry man plate. We were also served a basket of freshly baked brown bread. I have no idea what kind of bread it was but it was soft and sweet and delicious.
Of course, our waiter was awesome and we had a wonderful tasting meal.
I spent less than $ 20 including tax and tip. What a great deal!

interesting décor/​set up. Lighting is dark, seating is a little bit, attire is lightly dressed up, not a casual place.
Service is a bit slow when it is packed (it fills quickly).
The food is incredible. For an appetizer I got the burrata and artichoke crostini and it was amazing; it is basically bruschetta but artichoke and burrata on the bread instead.
The strozzapretzi ai funghi was really good as well, it is a thick pasta dish and very creamy but highly recommend if you’re hungry. My friend got pappardelle which is pasta with beef in it and it balanced out with my meal. So good if you’re craving meat but also pasta.
We split the nutella calzone (to die for) but warning it has ricotta cheese in it as well as nutella but it tastes creamy and sweet.
This is easily one of my favorite restaurants in the area and I recommend it to everyone

Came here for a brunch one Sunday around noon and was able to get seated immediately at a table for two. They seemed to have a lot of customers and were busy but they also had a lot of space open as well. The waiter was very attentive to getting us drinks and the our orders not too after. I asked for a suggestion and eventually took one of their pizzas since that was what I was in the mood for. The pizza was very light but very delicious as well. Overall it was really nice, cozy and had great service. The food wasn’t too pricey but the portions were smaller than I anticipated. I would be curious to see what their dinner experience is like.

This is the best italian food that I have had all year (and I eat out for lunch and dinner daily). The roasted eggplant was excellent and the beef appetizer was also fantastic. My friend had the pear and Gorgonzola salad, which I tried and loved. The service was also great. All of the menu items were written in italian with english explanations and all of the servers were italian. The inside was gorgeous — very good date place and very classy. The prices were not inflated. The portions were smaller (european vs. a larger american-​style portion). Good selection on the menu. I also like how this place seated us at 5 pm even though the other higher-​end french and italian restaurants in the area don’t start serving food until 5:30 — 6:00 pm so it’s great for early dinner. Inside was large and well decorated. Places like this make the east village/​LES area the best part of town to live.

Such an amazinggggggg dinner spot! Food is so on point, definitely get their burrata pizza which is absolutely heavenly. Also, their tiramisu is probably one of the best I have ever had. Great food, great busy atmosphere and very trendy– Rachel Zoe and her husband Roger walked in right when we were just served our food! Definitely check out the Bowery Ballroom as well for NYC’s best Moscow Mules after dinner– you won’t be disappointed

Great food, sometimes a little bit of a wait but you can just grab a drink at the cozy and inviting bar! It is a timeless restaurant!

Resto italien avec belle devanture et rempli de hypsters, des New yorkais A priori … Mais deco intérieure en bois un peu dépassée (on se croirait dans un chalet à la montagne). Pizzas sèches, mais bon gratin d’aubergines. Bön vin. Super service.
J’hésite en 2 étoiles pour la cuisine et la deco, et 3 pour l’ambiance et le service.

Low noise-​level for an intimate atmosphere with dimmed light and candles. Beautiful restaurant for dates or deep conversations with your friends! Extensive wine list. Good service and pretty good Italian food. Prices are decent for this neighborhood.

I absolutely love this restaurant. The décor is beautiful and it has a cozy and welcoming ambience. I also enjoy all the tasteful artwork. I have only eaten breakfast/​brunch here but that menu is very tasty and reasonably priced considering the location and quality. Everything I have had there has been delicious, the portions are ample, and the coffee is good as well. George, the new manager, is a total sweetheart and always makes you feel very much at home.

This place definitely deserves more than the 3.5 star rating it currently has, at least based on our one brunch experience! The Italian style eggs in sauce with avocado is amazing and served in a cast iron dish piping hot! Pancakes were great too! Service was well above par!

First time here. The place was really crowded but within few minutes we got a table. The service was bad and the food wasn’t at all what we expected. However, I can say that the Parpadelle of Short Ribs and the Crostata di Mele were good.

Stopped by for Brunch on a Sunday, was able to get a seat right away. The decour was interesting, gothic in feel. It could very well pass for an old school NYC hotel. The table split a tasty bread basket, which had an assortment of muffins and banana bread. I decided to go healthy and get the protein breakfast, that included grilled chicken with egg whites and tomatoes. The chicken, while seasoned decently, left something to be desired. The egg-​whites and tomato were standard brunch fair. Service was good at first, but it took a bit to get a coffee refill. I’d swing by if around Bowery again, but didn’t stand out by any means for a brunch spot near the east village.

Tried their brunch. Interesting décor. Solid food but pricey.
The complimentary bread and spread was one the better items. Warm, fresh and with just the right amount of sweetness. The much commented on polenta fries were light but lacked flavor which the truffle aioli supplied. The rigatoni and sausage was serviceable; al dente, balanced flavor with the sweetness of the sauce and the garlic. The baked eggs with avocado and prosciutto which I thought would be less pedestrian turned out to be muddled when baked together. The flavors all blurred and I couldn’t tell what I was eating.
I feel I want to give the place another try, just to check out some of the other dishes people are giving good reviews about.

For 7 months I lived across Gemma and walked past it every morning — every time I walked past I got the feeling of how cozy it looked inside and how lovely it smelled from the outside.
Fro some reason I never went in. It is the restaurant below the Bowery hotel (apparently Barack Obama’s favorite hotel and also Johnny Depp — saw him once come out, the hotel pretty much has paparazzi outside everyday)
When I came back to New York for a long weekend — the time had come for me to finally visit Gemma, and it was magnificent. We came pretty late and wasn’t really in the mood for a big meal, so we ordered instead a few of the appetizers. I had the Black Mission Figs with Prosciutto and Goat cheese, Truffled Polenta Fries and the Wild Salmon Tartare — all very delish.
The place is so cozy and warm lid up by comfortable lights and candles. The service is nice and the prices are fair. When I return to New York and in the mood for Italian I might stop by again.

I have to admit, I am a huge Italian food aficionado and it’s really hard for me to dislike much of their cuisine.
I went here on a whim after a gala at the Bowery Hotel next door on a Thursday night. We were seated right away and there were multiple servers coming by to check on us — which I really appreciated. The service and food were both fantastic, and I love their interior. It’s a pretty spacious place with the décor that makes you feel like you’re in Europe. This might sound tacky but we took a photo in here because it was so beautiful and framed it… Anyways, go here for good Italian food and you won’t be disappointed by the food and the friendliness of the staff.

I was lucky enough to be treated to dinner here. I think I have a new favorite restaurant in Manhattan! I had read the Unilocal reviews before visiting so knew I was in for a treat. The reviews recommended the butternut sage ravioli so decided to go with that. OMG. Total foodgasm. Every bite felt like it melted in my mouth. The brown butter sauce the ravioli were in was divine! So good that after I finished all the ravioli I ordered more bread just to mop up the sauce.
The salads were also really good. My friends got an artichoke one and another one to share. Typically I never order salads at a restaurant but have to admit these would have been the exception.
Wasn’t that impressed with the pizza though. We ordered a margherita one to share but it wasn’t anything special.
All of the pasta dishes my friends ordered were really unique and tasty. I couldn’t taste most of them since they contained meat but the seafood one I tried had an interesting flavor.
Definitely would recommend this place! Some of the best Italian I’ve eaten in my life. I’m looking forward to eating more butternut squash ravioli. The restaurant has a sophisticated atmosphere without seeming pretentious and the waiters seem really knowledgeable about the cuisine and wine list.

Went there for the first time this past Monday night. For a rainy NYC night they were pretty packed.
*Food was awesome, décor is great, but service is just TERRIBLE. For a waiter to actually come to our table with menus took about 20 minutes after being seated, then he disappeared for another 20 minutes.
After having to waive down the maitre de and tell them we were ready to order we finally got our correct waiter and gave him the order. 20 minutes later he came back to ask me what I ordered again.
This was my first experience and not a great one. I’d only go back as a last choice.

Gemma is one of the best places I’ve ever eaten in the city. If you ever want authentic Italian food and wine you should go here! The area is great and the hotel that the restaurant is located in has a very interesting interior. I go here on girls nights with my friends all the time.
Only con is that they are very very expensive and give little portions, but I feel it is worth it.

Stopped in for brunch at the Gemma on a Sunday around noon. There was a half hour wait to be seated outside so we opted to sit inside and avoid any wait (party of fiveeee). I love the interior of the Gemma — especially for a [hungover] Sunday brunch. It’s very cozy and dimly lit. Our server was a little bit slow but I was also starving and feeling impatient. For whatever reason there were a ton of children brunching with their parents on this particular Sunday. Loud rowdy children running around was probably the brunch’s downfall — luckily our food was delicious.
— Baked Eggs w/​avocado & prosciutto: My friend and I both ordered this. The eggs are baked and covered in an amazing tomato sauce and topped with a sliced avocado. It’s a twist on the usual fried eggs that I typically order. Prosciutto is mixed into it, too. basically a hidden gem in the sauce.
— Truffled Polenta Fries: Should have ordered two! I never doubt truffle and the two sauces they come with are addicting. Honestly wanted to dip my eggs in the white sauce. HA.
— Pappardelle Porcini: My other friend ordered this and I had a few bites… was under-​whelmed. I expected more of a mushroom/​truffle punch to it but it was pretty bland.
Our meal only came to $ 20 each! I find this to be pretty reasonable, although we didn’t order alcoholic bevs. We did have 3 coffees and a 2 Diet Cokes though.

A popular New York establishment favoured by the residences, Gemma is the go-​to for a weekend Sunday brunch or a romantic dinner for two. Nothing can feel as euphoric with candles on every table and dim lighting to enhance a lovely Tuscana Trattoria. Thrilled to be part of the Gemma club, we called and made last minute dinner reservations after a beautiful afternoon of SoHo shopping.
What we tried:
O L I V E T A P E N A D E & G O A T C H E E S E [ $ 5 ]
To dine like a true European, crostini and a bottle of wine are two beautiful pairs for a light something to nibble on. The crostini came on grilled rustic bread and a generous layer of tapenade with a gorgeous scent of olive oil and goat cheese, completely sharable amongst two people.
L I N G U I N E F R U T T I D I M A R E [ $ 21 ]
Frutti di Mare galore! Succulent heaps of fresh calamari, shrimps, and scallop gently adorned on a bed of fresh house made linguine pasta. I could not tell you enough how fresh the jewels of the sea was. This is a tomato based dish, so be wary if you’re not a tomato sauce fan.
S A L T I M B O C C A A L L A R O M A N A [ $ 28 ]
Tender veal cutlets layered with prosciutto di parma and sage, beautifully adorned by balsamic sautéed mushrooms. It was just too good to finish it all; it was full of an abundance of flavour, and the sage herbs paired majestically with the heavy balsamic mushrooms. A winner in my honest to good opinion.
I look forward to trying it again soon, hopefully this time however, for their popular weekend brunch! x

Great italian food and a warm, romantic Tuscan atmosphere. Our server, Alfonzo, was wonderful and we enjoyed every dish that came out!
For the food: The buffalo mozzarella appetizer special was fresh and creamy with delicious prosciutto and artichokes. The arancini comes drenched in a tasty red sauce and are the perfect start to the meal. We each ordered a pasta and were unable to finish because the portions are actually pretty large, but for sure try their fresh pasta as it tastes very authentic! I had the The tiramisu dessert was also incredible and I suggest you get it for a taste! They have a large selection of wines at actually good prices, as well.
The tables are pretty close together, so be ready to eat in a pretty tight, cramped space, but this will not ruin the experience at all. Overall it was a wonderful dinner and I for sure would go back and recommend it!

I’ve been here for dinner a BUNCH. It’s such a great staple in the noho area. I’ve been with my family, with a group of friends — or just one on one, and with my boyfriend. Last night (friday) I came with my boyfriend, his friend, and my sister around 8pm. There was a long wait (1 hour) to sit outside, so we ended up grabbing a drink at the bar and then eating inside.
I would recommend coming here if you want good Italian food, and great wine. It’s also not that expensive! And we always walk in and put our name in. Usually you can get a table right away (outside is sometimes a wait though).
RESTAURANT OVERVIEW:
–Dim lit, large and spacious
–Full bar when you walk in if you want to sit and grab a drink
–They have tables and booths
–Great spot to eat outside if you can!
APPS:
–They give you a yummy bread basket that already has oil and other herbs on it. Soft and warm!
–Ricotta and Oven-​Dried Tomato: I always get this app when I come here, it’s so good! It comes with two toasted bread slices with ricotta spread on top and then a big tomato on top of each crostini.
–Truffled Mushroom Crostini: I didn’t try this but took a picture.
–Prosciutto and Arugula Pizza: really good! They give you big slices of prosciutto on top of the pizza. Thin crispy crust.
DINNER:
–Orecchiette Broccoli e Salsiccia: I always get this dish. Super flavorful and comes with a lot! If you get apps you could possibly split this with someone at the table because it’s a big portion size. The spicy sausage is crumbled in with broccoli rabe. This is delish!
–Tortellini di Spinaci e Ricotta: not your average tortellini. These kind of look like ravioli size. This dish is great tasting — filled with ricotta, not too Spinach-​y tasting, and the sauce on it is really yummy — butter and sage. Mmmm!
DRINKS:
–Sancerre 2013 Red Wine Bottle: wow, this was a great wine!!! And only $ 60. We all loved it. It came recommended by their amazing wine guy. He pretty much knows everything there is to know about wine, and was super helpful when picking out a bottle in our price range!
SERVICE:
–The service is great here. All the waiters I’ve had are helpful and really nice — especially that wine guy!!! We were all obsessed with him.

Lovely, rustic ambiance and a great location for people watching convinced us to grab a bite there after having drinks at the Bowery Hotel. Our server was attentive but very soft spoken which in addition to her accent made it pretty hard to understand her. Also, when we asked how the lamb was prepared, she said «normal, not grilled, no pressure cooker, normal.» And although she didn’t seem very knowledgable about the way other items on the menu were prepared, we trusted her recommendations and got the special linguine and the lamb.
We started with the olive tapenade with goat cheese which was absolutely wonderful. However, our main course took quite a long time to arrive, and when it did my food was very warm while my fiancé’s was almost totally cold. For me, that deserved one less star.
Although slightly over salted, the squid ink linguine special was great. The pasta was freshly made and the octopus was tender and flavorful. Although pretty cold, the lamb was also well prepared and quite testy.
Bottom line, decent food but pretty disappointing service.

Das Gemma ist ein sehr gemütlicher Platz, an dem New Yorker italienisch essen gehen. Das Essen ist exzellent und der Service lässt keine Wünsche übrig! Das Ambiente ist sehr ruhig, der hochklassige Wein wird vom Sommelier gebracht. Auf keinen Fall sollte man sich die Nachtische entgehen lassen. Ich hab noch nie so gutes Tiramisu gegessen!