Going to NYC for Thanksgiving again this year. Last year we ate dinner at Le Madeleine and Becco. I loved both, but wife and daughter didn't care for Becco. Not...Macaroni Grill-y enough, I think. Any suggestions on Italian places for our more pedestrian tastes?

I've just done a search, and for others who might also be clueless about "Macaroni Grill-y" it's a chain of restaurants. There are a number of them in the suburbs of NY according to their website. Having never tried one, can't really provide other solutions unless you tell us what it is that was missing at Becco.

For good, basic food have you tried Joe Allen's on restaurant row (46th betw 8th-9th) in the theater district.

Pomodoro Rosso on the upper west side has good basic Italian at a decent price as does Trattoria Trecolori on w 45th.

Sounds like maybe you're looking for more 'red sauce' Italian. Does it have to be in the theater district? Something down in Little Italy may work. For good family-style Italian with a pleasant atmosphere, I like Osso Buco (a few different locations, I've only eaten in teh village location).

The recent "Four dinners in New York City" post has scores of great recommendations.
M

Toni D'Napolis, Carmines....

What about Roccos 22? Don't they have spaghetti and meatballs? Never been there, just seems like it's a bit more pedestrian to me after watching the shows.

AS for Roccos, I just read an article that Rocco has been barred from the place and the owner may shut it down by the end of August so check first!

Ha! Another one bites the dust! Oh well, there's also Carmines in Times Square. They are known for big portions of hearty Italian food. It can get pretty crowded though, but in my opinion it's on par for what you are looking for.

all the resturants in little italy are goo,fun and casual.

Baldoria is my hands down favorite for good old Italian. The meatballs and spaghetti are fantastic. Owned by the son of Rao's. They sell the sauce and stuff there. You MUST make a reservation. 249 W. 49th between Broadway and 8th. 212-582-0460. www.baldoriamo.com

Thanks, folks! Sounds like a Little Italy kind of night. Appreciate the input.

I am familiar with Macaroni Grill, and I agree that Carmine's would probably be what you are looking for.

Patsy's on W. 56th is very good, was a favorite of Frank Sinatra. They have a room devoted to his memorabilia.

There's a story in today's NYTimes Metro section about the Republican Convention's website listing various politicians' favorite NYC restaurants. (Now removed. Read the article here
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/29/ny...estaurant.html)

Evidently Da Nico in Little Italy is one of Guiliani's favorites.

Hi,

I just saw on the travel channel about the best pizza in the usa and was called John's one I think is in time square area and the other is in the village, but the one in town used to be a church and it was pretty and the prices were reasonable.

Hey Lizzy, I think you should be careful before opening up the "Pizza debate." But since you started, I'll continue...best in Manhattan is Lombardi's (especially their clam pie)...best in Brooklyn is Grimaldi's...John's is a distant third (or fourth or fifth), but still not too shabby.

You could always plop them down at a Olive Garden or Sbarro and you go to the nice restaurant alone. <g>

I was about to say I was surprised no one recommened the Olive Garden....LOL Now there's one on 23rd St. along with the one in Times Square.

Your Little Italy reco's are probably the best but just in case a few alternatives won't hurt:

Sal Anthony's, on Irving Place, has familiar food in a pleasant setting and a good prix fixe though I don't know its hours - heard the attractive lady tout outside
telling a family today that it was $21 for 3 courses.

John's on about 10th Street off 2nd Ave-
I think everyone would like it - old world Italian, like a set from a Godfathers movie, darkish, tile-and-aged-fresco-y, with a famous mountain of candle wax your daughter is likely to like (you'll have to trust me on this). Not expensive either.

{John's pizza is not the same place. The original John's Pizza is on Bleecker Street. I recommend the downtown one over the midtown one if you like a feeling of history, it's an old neighborhood place which has thrived. After dinner at John's walk west on Bleecker St to the famous Magnolia Bakery to stand in line for a cupcake to eat standing in the street [this = custom]).

As far as pizza, John's is great, but for a quick slice (John;s is sit down and not by the slice), there Joe's on Bleecker and Carmine St (recently shown in the beginning of spiderman 2). There's also a new 'slice' place that is supposed to be even better than joes called Bleecker St pizza on 7th Av at Bleecker St.