Otto is Mario Batali’s casual and bustling Italian (shocker) restaurant located on an unassuming street a block or two above Washington Square Park.

A few things to note.

The place is enormous. Looked like it could seat 500 people.

The place was packed on a Tuesday night. Ever seat. But getting a ressie same day on OpenTable was not a problem.

The place is loud. First dates could be tough. So could last dates. Don’t bring someone with an accent you can’t understand. The conversations that ensue will be highly irritating.

The pastas are awesome and inexpensive. Focus on them.

The salads are fine.

The Brussels Sprouts are AWESOME! Get those.

The pizza is AWFUL! Don’t bother. They reminded me of if I were to add sauce and barely any cheese to straight up cardboard. However, I don’t mind bad pizzas, so we still ate it.

The desserts were all really good, gelato based. Especially the Black and White and Pumpkin Copetta. Not sure what the hell a Copetta is (maybe an Italian Gelato sundae??) but it’s good and you need to order one.

We had a really fun dinner at Otto, bad pizza aside. Goes to show what a difference endless bottles of wine being ordered, can make.

1 5th Ave
New York, NY 10003
b/t Washington Mews & 8th St
Greenwich Village
(212) 995-9559
ottopizzeria.com

Complimentary Table Bread

Baby Spinach, Ricotta Salata & Truffle Honey – $10

Otto Chopped Salad – $11

Brussels Sprouts & Vin Cotto – $6

Quattro Formaggi
tomato, mozzarella, taleggio, cacio, ricotta – $14

Pumpkin Fiore – fresh pasta
butternut squash, brown butter, sage, hazelnuts, ricotta affumicata – $16

Goat Cheese Agnolotti – fresh pasta
lemon butter, fennel pollen – $16

Pasta alla Norma
tomato, roasted eggplant, basil, bufala ricotta – $12

Spaghetti alla Carbonara
pancetta, scallions, black pepper, egg – $12

3 Cheeses – $13
Coach Triple Cream
Pecorino Fossa
Gorgonzola

Guinness Coppetta
guinness & dark chocolate gelati, chocolate cake, caoffee bourbon sauce, candied peanuts – $11

Black & White
milk chocolate chip & crème fraîche gelati, hazelnut croccante, chocolate sauce, caramel crema – $11

Pumpkin Copetta – Pumpkin Gelato, Spiced Ginger Cake, Toffee Sauce, Candied Pecans, Marscapone Crema – $11