Cacio Pepe Restaurant

The Scene – Low, beamed ceilings, French doors that open to the sidewalk, brick walls and candle light make for a cozy scene. A mature crowd unwinds in the quiet and relaxed dining room or in the back garden. Outdoor seating in front allows customers to witness East Village foot traffic. – – The Food – The menu features Italian favorites, most served with an ample portion of cheese. Light, lemony meat ravioli is garnished with shaved parmesan; a prosciuotto di parma sits on a salty fondue of scamorza. Even a hollowed out wheel of pecorino becomes the main attraction…

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Know Before You Go:: The restaurant only takes reservations for parties of four or more.

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User Reviews (28)

ambiance	100.0% positive	“The food was great and the ambience was romantic.” “would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a solid meal with nice atmosphere.” “Service was great, ambiance was nice with good mellow music and candlelit tables.” “The food was AMAZING and the atmosphere was great.” “The dining room is small and not every table is in a good location.” “Even though this place is dark, I would classify it as high-energy more than romantic.” “The bf and I wanted a romantic, cozy little east village restaurant, and this place completely fit the bill.” “Definitely went beyond your quintessential italian ingredients into slightly more creative dishes, which in combination with the atmosphere, truly delighted us for the price.”
dessert	100.0% positive	“(The desert was so yummy!)” “Great wines and desserts too and different specials each night.”
drinks	100.0% positive	“great service coupled with nice wine list and food that makes you mouth water for more the next day.” “The service here was great, the food was very good (the pasta dishes we had were excellent - the bucatini and the rigatoni), and they have a very reasonable wine list.” “Great wines and desserts too and different specials each night.” “The staff- although attentive and helpful with wine & food selection- did confuse who ordered which dish.” “The waiter recommended a satisfying wine and we enjoyed our food immensely.” “The wine list was very accurate and had good selections from different regions of italy.” “Good food and good wine”
food quality	87.10000038146973% positive	“Goodness, do I have to order an appetizer, pasta or rice, and a meat dish in order to satisfy my hunger?” “We had to chase down someone for some fresh pepper and cheese to top off our pastas.” “Good pasta in general.” “The food was great and the ambience was romantic.” “Terrible food!” “Before I tell you how great the food was.” “Perhaps we just chose the wrong things to eat, the mozz and tomato were good.” “The service here was great, the food was very good (the pasta dishes we had were excellent - the bucatini and the rigatoni), and they have a very reasonable wine list.” “Surly manager and terrible food.” “The servers are knowledgable and pleasant and the food is consistently excellent.” “The food is sensational and the entire experience was great!” “Good food and good wine” “The food was great.” “The evening was beautiful,we tried the famous pasta in the wheel and few different specials.” “would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a solid meal with nice atmosphere.” “(The desert was so yummy!)” “The food is authentic (meaning Italy, not just snotty Manhattan pseudo-Italian restaurants) and the service is good.” “The food has been excellent each time we have gone there.” “One of my friends ordered the potato gnocchi and that was even more delicious.” “The food was AMAZING and the atmosphere was great.” “The food is great - really creative.” “The staff- although attentive and helpful with wine & food selection- did confuse who ordered which dish.” “We also had the bacon-wrapped shrimp appetizer which was delicious.” “The waiter recommended a satisfying wine and we enjoyed our food immensely.” “great service coupled with nice wine list and food that makes you mouth water for more the next day.” “Unbelievably great food” “Surly Manager and Terrible food” “They only use the best ingredients(ask about the pasta they use) and the presentation is pretty.” “Definitely went beyond your quintessential italian ingredients into slightly more creative dishes, which in combination with the atmosphere, truly delighted us for the price.” “First two were overcooked, mushy--and shrimp were basically inedible--tough and dry.” “Desert of green tomato strudle with basil sorbet was more interesting than savory.”
menu variety	100.0% positive	“The staff- although attentive and helpful with wine & food selection- did confuse who ordered which dish.” “The brunch menu is as creative as the dinner menu.” “The wine list was very accurate and had good selections from different regions of italy.”
overall	100.0% positive	“great place for a date!”
service	75.0% positive	“Staff is friendly and informative and bathrooms are clean and well-lit to boot.” “Not sure what the other folks who didn't like this place ordered or did to the staff to insult them, but I live around the corner and come here all the time.” “The service was professional if somewhat slow, though we didn't mind since it is such a welcoming place to have dinner.” “Surly manager and terrible food.” “great service coupled with nice wine list and food that makes you mouth water for more the next day.” “The owner was incredibly rude, unapologetic, and obviously could not have cared less about our negative experience.” “Maybe it was the night we went: the kitchen was bustling, there was a lot of chatting, the place was full, the staff was friendly.” “the servers are friendly, but can NEVER remember who ordered what.” “The staff- although attentive and helpful with wine & food selection- did confuse who ordered which dish.” “The food is authentic (meaning Italy, not just snotty Manhattan pseudo-Italian restaurants) and the service is good.” “The prices are good and the service is friendly and knowlegeable.” “The waiter recommended a satisfying wine and we enjoyed our food immensely.” “The servers are knowledgable and pleasant and the food is consistently excellent.” “The service here was great, the food was very good (the pasta dishes we had were excellent - the bucatini and the rigatoni), and they have a very reasonable wine list.”
value	75.0% positive	“If you want big portions.” “The lobster ravioli is salty with barely any lobster in it Very expensive for what you get.” “The portions aren't huge and it was so satisfying to eat every last bit of my dinner!” “Good portions, bold flavors, including the sides which are as good as (if not in some instances even better) than the mains.” “Definitely went beyond your quintessential italian ingredients into slightly more creative dishes, which in combination with the atmosphere, truly delighted us for the price.” “The prices are good and the service is friendly and knowlegeable.”
wait time	100.0% positive	“We waited 45 minutes for a table that was contantly just "5 minutes" away, while we watched two groups of equal size (also w/o reservations) get seated at great tables!” “The service was professional if somewhat slow, though we didn't mind since it is such a welcoming place to have dinner.”

01/22/11

Going to be a new regular!

by valerieT

Ok, so i've walked by this restaurant for the past 2 years and never stopped. Why? now i'm wishing i had...it took a coupon from scoutmob for me to finally make a reservation.

I made the reservation for 8:00 on friday, not something i normally do in the EV but my boyfriend's best friend is in town. Needless to say we got there and it was loud and packed. We did have to wait for the table, but the very nice hostess who also turns out to be the manager offered us chairs in the back and a wine list...

The food was AMAZING! I had the Cacioe pepe, and honestly the best pasta I've ever had and served out of a real cheese wheel...tableside. Plus, the cute guy who brought it out let our friends take a picture. But really everything was great; special appetizer with shrimp and scallops and timballo to start...yum! I would highly suggest the chicken with potatoes(my friend said he would come back just for that) and cacio e pepe. The gnochi was super flavorful and fresh and papperdella...perfect! Real Italian food.

Our server was super friendly, with an Italian accent-which just make the meal that much better. Not typical EV service, really friendly and personable...love it as much as the food! Also of note the wine list, it's not that long but a variety of options. My boyfriend is really into wine.

And the manager sent us out a tiramisu for having to wait- quite tasty and not too heavy!

Can't wait to come back and try the rest of the menu!!

FYI it is LOUD, the staff said the weekdays are calmer and there's no bar :(

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06/02/10

Left the place frustrated and hungry...

by ronnie2

I visited this restaurant last year with my wife, and was very impressed. But recently we went back and could not believe how expensive it got. My biggest complain though, was that the portions were TOO small. Goodness, do I have to order an appetizer, pasta or rice, and a meat dish in order to satisfy my hunger?...are you kidding?

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08/10/08

Manager,staff,pasta, wine list,garden

by toto70

This place is a great gem!

we were there last night ,it was packed,we did wait a little to get seated in the garden.

The staff was a real charm,the manager gave us a temporary seat to get a glass of wine while we were waiting.He was very caring to us,we had a conversation about restaurant business,we have one too in San Francisco. I would love to hire him anytime.Seriously!!!!

The evening was beautiful,we tried the famous pasta in the wheel and few different specials.All very simple but so tasty.We ordered a bottle of a delicious Chianti Riserva from '03.The wine list was very accurate and had good selections from different regions of italy.

We skipped dessert,but the waitress insisted to try the cannoli.

we did. we loved it

thank you guys,you made our last night in NY great.

we will see you soon

A&K

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08/03/08

Surly Manager and Terrible food

by JohnJS

Surly manager and terrible food. Visited Aug 2, 2008. Ordered highly touted fish combo in red sauce --monkfish,mullet and shrimp. First two were overcooked, mushy--and shrimp were basically inedible--tough and dry. Tried to suggest to the Manager that perhaps the chef might , next time, not overcook the shrimp. He did not take kindly to this suggestion --which was intended to be helpful, not complaining. Instead, gave us some excuse saying that is the "way it is made", acting extremely uncaring and surly--then just suggesting we could leave--which we did. Will never return.

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05/08/08

Good food and good wine

by punky21

There were four of us for dinner on a Wednesday night. We were seated promptly in the beautiful dark room. We ordered some wine to start. Before I tell you how great the food was... I would like to mention that the service was definitely below par. The waiter never checked on us throughout our meal. We had to chase down someone for some fresh pepper and cheese to top off our pastas. A friend asked an entree could be altered and we watched the waiter pretend to visit the kitchen and ask. Now... back to the food -- As an appetizer, we shared the bacon wrapped shrimp. They gave us an extra shrimp so that we could each have one (it usually comes with three). The shrimp were pretty small and the bacon was overcooked. Not a good start but not terrible, either. I had the spaghetti with fried zuchini, capers and codfish in a spicy olive oil. For such as simple dish, it was absolutely delicious. One of my friends ordered the potato gnocchi and that was even more delicious. The portions aren't huge and it was so satisfying to eat every last bit of my dinner! If you want big portions... go to the Olive Garden.

Cacio Pepe Restaurant

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What People Are Saying About Cacio Pepe Restaurant

Kathleen Squires

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Editor's Tips

01/22/11

Going to be a new regular!

by valerieT

06/02/10

Left the place frustrated and hungry...

by ronnie2

08/10/08

Manager,staff,pasta, wine list,garden

by toto70

08/03/08

Surly Manager and Terrible food

by JohnJS

05/08/08

Good food and good wine

by punky21

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