Penny Roma
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If you’re looking for a restaurant with electric energy that makes you feel like you’re part of something just by stepping inside, head to Penny Roma, where you’ll get a lively but intimate experience paired with delicious food. The welcoming, dimly-lit, and plant-filled courtyard comes complete with a retractable roof. It’s giving dinner party vibes, except your co-chefs are Thomas McNaughton and Ryan Pollnow of Flour + Water Hospitality, and the fare is mouth-watering crudos, house-made pastas, and rustic Italian dishes.
How to book: Reserve a table online or walk in—a portion of tables are held for walk-ins, and the restaurant starts taking names for the waitlist at 5:30 pm. If you’re on the waitlist when you arrive, have a glass of wine at the adjoining Flour + Water Pasta Shop—where you may also want to pick up a few things for your home—or enjoy a cocktail next door at Trick Dog.
We could probably just tell you that the folks behind Flour + Water have a new restaurant that’s all about classic pastas and rustic Italian fare and leave it at that since “folks behind Flour + Water” speaks volumes on its own, but just in case you need an extra push: a dinner at Penny Roma is everything you want out of a meal. A warm and inviting space in an enclosed courtyard with dim lighting and a lively atmosphere, friendly service, and a menu of nonstop hits, including some fantastic crudo (the Albacore Tartare with tomato, caper, calabrian oil, and pistachio is getting most of the accolades, but they’re all worth ordering), pastas—all made daily—like Tagliatelle Alla Bolognese and Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe—and mains, like a Grilled Trout and a Half Chicken Al Mattone—that deserve an order, as well as some of the best focaccia we’ve ever had in the city thanks to the perfect crunch to chew ratio. It’s the perfect spot for a date or a night out with friends. Just be sure to plan ahead because reservations are hard to snag. (And if you’re wondering why Flour + Water isn’t also on this list, it’s only temporarily while the restaurant is remodeled.)
How to book: online.
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