We just got tix for "Light in the Piazza" during our NYC stay. Any good theater dinner places near Lincoln Center to recommend? We're staying in Chelsea on W 23rd.

There are dozens (hundreds?) of good choices. It would help if you'd give us a price range and the type(s) of food preferred.

Howard~price range $100-120 for two with wine. Our other choices of places to eat so far in NYC include: the Red Cat, Babbo, Pepolino,Mary's Fish Camp,Baruto,Katz's.

Caffe La Fenice (Broadway, bet 68/69th) - good Italian within your price range.

Cafe Gray (Time Warner Center / Columbus Circle) - very good American fare, but may overshoot your budget.

Cafe des Artiste (67th, bet. Coumbus and Central Park West) - nice, others say romantic, but with $45 pre-theater prix fixe.

Rosa Mexicano ( Columbus and 62nd St) - one of the best Mexican that NYC has to offer. Assuming that you are from San Francisco, then there are better ones in SF.

Rigoletto ( Columbus, bet. 69 and 70 St) - Good pizza with 5 tables and I only do take-out from here, but you can probably squeeze-in if you're in a hurry and craving for pizza.

BTW, I assume that you are aware that $120 budget would be very limited at Babbo. It's very difficult enough to secure a reservation in this fine restaurant and, imho, would be wasted by limiting one's order.

I'd recommend Josephina', which is conveniently located across the street from Lincoln Center on Broadway between 63rd and 64th.

billy boy~thanks, I know $$ will be more at Babbo. The price range had to do with that particularly evening. We already have tix @$200 for the show. I was trying to balance the$$.

I'm confused. What do mean that you're spending $200 per ticket that night and want to balance the dollars? Going to Babbo will hardly help you balance the dollars for that night!

I think PamSF made it clear that they simply want to balance the expenses for the musical and the dinner for the same night.

Their Babbo dinner was for another night and that the $120 budget will not apply.

Fiorello is one of my favorites near Lincoln Center. In fact, we had dinner there when we saw LIP a few months ago. You can probably get a dinner for 2 with a drink for around $100.

Pam - when are you coming to town??? We're seeing "Piazza" this coming Saturday, and as we've subscribed to the Philharmonic for the past 17 or so years, we have a "circuit" of restaurants that we patronize, all are really good and reasonable. They are:

1) Pomodoro, on Columbus between 69th and 70th - they don't take reservations for parties under 5, but if you get there before 6, you'll get a table. We really enjoy their food and feel it's good value for the money.

2) Epices du Traiteur - 70th at the corner of Columbus (Mediterranean-Tunisian) - can make reseravations there and their food is very flavorful - I particularly like their bastillas (Flaky crusted pies filled with ground veggies and meats, very well seasoned)

3) Pasha - 71st between Columbus and Central Park W. (Turkish) - can make reservations there and they have pre-theatre specials which are very good - I especially like the chicken breasts stuffed with pistachios and cranberries.

All 3 of these restaurants will run you roughly $40 p/p and are all conveniently located to Lincoln Center.

Let me know when you'll be in my neck of the woods!

Margot

You've gotten very good recos so far. If you really want cheap, there's an Ollie's Noodles right there for Chinese and O'Neals for American is very reasonable. Cafe Luxembourg is also one of my favorites in the area and will fit your budget.

Thank you everyone! Margot~we'll be there 10/4-10/11 then heading up to Hudson River Valley and the Berkshires.
I think this conflicts with your trip to France but e mail me and "we'll talk".