(212) 274-8615

265 Lafayette St (nr. Prince St.)
New York, NY 10012 40.7234 -73.9966

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Neighborhoods: NoLita, Downtown

FALAINYC.COM

Hours:

Mon-Fri, 7am-11pm

Sat-Sun, 8am-11pm

Price:

$$

Last updated 8.16.11

Category:

Restaurants, Bakeries

Payment Methods:

American Express, Cash, Discover, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

B.Y.O.B., Brunch, Lunch Spot, Food Delivery, Dine At The Bar

General Info:

Open 7 Days

Cuisine:

Italian

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Caffe Falai

Featured Review

Justin Hartung

Contributor

The Scene – One couldn't be blamed for calling the decor at Iacopo Falai's three eponymous Manhattan ventures washroom chic. Everything at this cafe gleams white--the tiles covering the walls, the sparkling chandeliers hanging above the bar seating, even the mirror frames. In fact, pretty much the only color deviations come courtesy of shiny silver water pitchers and the multihued shopping bags of Soho day-trippers resting their Prada-clad feet. – – The Food – If the space is monochromatic, the light, fresh and frequently changing Italian menu presents a kaleidoscope…

Editor's Tips

BYOB:
Though wine bottles are displayed above the bar, the cafe is BYOB for now, so make a pit sop at Centovini Wine Shop nearby.
Know Before You Go:
Give your credit card a rest after a hard day of charging--this joint is cash only.
Brunch:
Egg dishes satisfy morning cravings that go beyond the front pastry counter.
Delivery:
Delivery is available for orders more than $10.
When to Go:
Though no reservations are taken, this is one restaurant where you might have better luck getting a table immediately if you go for dinner rather than lunch or brunch.
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. “Great atmoshere-Friendly service- fresh delicious food- amazing desserts!”
  2. “walked in just for an iced coffee and was immediately drawn to the front area with all of the amazing looking desserts and food!”
  3. “The chocolate were pretty tasty too but a bit rich.”
  4. “cappuccino and slice of complimentary 'crepe cake' made this a completely enjoyable brunch.”
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. “After asking for help with the wine, a luscious bottle of white from San Gimignano provided the perfect start to our meal.”
  2. “Food is delicious, the coffee is nice and strong.”
  3. “Good coffee/Great customer service”
  4. “walked in just for an iced coffee and was immediately drawn to the front area with all of the amazing looking desserts and food!”
  5. “I'm slowly, actually quickly, working my way through the pastry section, their coffee is excellent and all the food has been great so far.”
  6. “Great selection of Italian wines and friendly Italian waiters a plus!”
food quality
79.33000087738037% positive
  1. “am not prone to making recommendations, but the pasta was truly divine.”
  2. “walked in just for an iced coffee and was immediately drawn to the front area with all of the amazing looking desserts and food!”
  3. “The same amazing food and the prices are extremely reasonable.”
  4. “The food was delicious and the service was great!”
  5. “The pasta was so fresh and delicate, it reminded me of the gnocchi my girlfriend and I made this summer.”
  6. “Beautiful design, great and friendly service, delicious food.”
  7. “Great atmoshere-Friendly service- fresh delicious food- amazing desserts!”
  8. “Food is delicious, the coffee is nice and strong.”
  9. “This was an unfortunate experience as I had invited a friend from overseas and wanted for us all to have an enjoyable, sophisticated meal.”
  10. “The Polipo octopus dish was so good we ordered a second dish for the table!”
  11. “My dinner guest enjoyed the avocado salad and ordered the spinach agnolotti stuffed with riccota and covered with a 4 cheese sauce, truly a rich experience.”
  12. “The chocolate were pretty tasty too but a bit rich.”
  13. “When so many restaurants in Little Italy are geared up for the tourists (and the number decreases yearly), this place delivers on bringing authentic, fresh Italian food back to the area.”
  14. “Fantastic food”
  15. “tried out the new place on the block, and found that the food was pretty good, but the waitstaff wasn't knowledgeable and definitely not accommodating when we asked that the VERY loud music be turned down.”
  16. “think the food was real good for the price, but honestly I think the service was just plain AWFUL.”
  17. “After asking for help with the wine, a luscious bottle of white from San Gimignano provided the perfect start to our meal.”
  18. “Service was slightly slow, but the food was worth it.”
  19. “I'm slowly, actually quickly, working my way through the pastry section, their coffee is excellent and all the food has been great so far.”
  20. “The food was horrible, tasteless and very expensive!”
  21. “Waiters were rude and unhelpful, and while in the end the food was nice, I still don?”
  22. “For the entree, I had the short rib ragu fresh pasta course.”
  23. “The design of the place is great, I love the chandelier and the all white, and my food has always been good.”
  24. “perfect al dente linguini with a sauce of parmesan and lemon zest was amazing.”
  25. “Okay food, but rude staff and VERY LOUD MUSIC!”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “Great selection of Italian wines and friendly Italian waiters a plus!”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “All in all, a nice place to stop and have a short (or long) break.”
service
60.260000228881836% positive
  1. “Beautiful design, great and friendly service, delicious food.”
  2. “The waiter and the manager never apologized; SO RUDE.”
  3. “Great selection of Italian wines and friendly Italian waiters a plus!”
  4. “The place was packed (Thursday night), but the Italian wait staff was very warm and engaging.”
  5. “think the food was real good for the price, but honestly I think the service was just plain AWFUL.”
  6. “Okay food, but rude staff and VERY LOUD MUSIC!”
  7. “Good coffee/Great customer service”
  8. “Although I agree with the other reviews that the waitstaff wasn't very good, although never rude to me, I tell there was a haughty air to the servers.”
  9. “Waitstaff extremely rude!”
  10. “Great atmoshere-Friendly service- fresh delicious food- amazing desserts!”
  11. “The food was delicious and the service was great!”
  12. “The service was professional and friendly and the idea of the "white restaurant with the elegant chandelier" made it a minimalist dining experience.”
  13. “Waiters were rude and unhelpful, and while in the end the food was nice, I still don?”
value
37.5% positive
  1. “The same amazing food and the prices are extremely reasonable.”
  2. “Service was slightly slow, but the food was worth it.”
  3. “think the food was real good for the price, but honestly I think the service was just plain AWFUL.”
  4. “The food was horrible, tasteless and very expensive!”
wait time
50.0% positive
  1. “Service was slightly slow, but the food was worth it.”
  2. “All in all, a nice place to stop and have a short (or long) break.”
4 Star Rating: Recommended

03/22/11

Good pasta

by stephbot at Citysearch

Lovely place and good pasta. I had the one with ragu sauce, it was good. We ordered a few appetizers and the one I would not have ordered is the eggplant though. That was a bit too mushy for my taste. Everything else was great. Including the dessert. The layered crepe cake was the best!

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

07/22/09

a Soho Sunday brunch

by louisgiradi at Citysearch

spent my last Sunday brunch at Caffe Falai because a friend of mine had wanted to go for weeks. The service was professional and friendly and the idea of the "white restaurant with the elegant chandelier" made it a minimalist dining experience. But I'm not saying the food is bland. On the contrary- the cheese eggs and dessert are beyond words. Thanks!

  • Pros: brunch
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

03/22/09

Felt like I was back in Italy

by Raquelina at Citysearch

Some friends I made while traveling in Italy came to visit NY, and upon recommendations from friends of theirs, we met for brunch at the caffe. It was not only beautiful but the food was truly spectacular. The Polipo octopus dish was so good we ordered a second dish for the table! Next were homemade pasta dishes; the one with mushroom and cauliflower was my favorite. A cappuccino and slice of complimentary 'crepe cake' made this a completely enjoyable brunch. Great selection of Italian wines and friendly Italian waiters a plus!

  • Pros: Best Cappuccino in NY
  • Cons: Patience is rewarded
1 Star Rating: Poor

03/02/09

Unfriendly and disappointing!!!

Contributor at Citysearch

We decided to start new year's day with a nice breakfast in Soho. The Caffee Falai interior looked charming and inviting, but as we walked the impression turned out to be wrong. The waitress was unfriendly. Since it was around noon there were only two choices for breakfast left; baked eggs and panini. The food was horrible, tasteless and very expensive!! The only good thing was the

coffee! Not recommending!

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

01/04/09

Best Kept Italian Secret in Soho

by arts10022 at Citysearch

My guest and I were thrilled to stumble upon Caffe Falai just around the corner from busy Broadway in Soho last month. The sparkle of candlelight, crystal, and white linens drew us into a welcoming atmosphere. After asking for help with the wine, a luscious bottle of white from San Gimignano provided the perfect start to our meal. A light tomato and bread soup was followed by a salad of delicate greens and avocado dressed with whtie truffle oil. A perfect al dente linguini with a sauce of parmesan and lemon zest was amazing. Tiny biscotti with expresso ended the meal perfectly. The collection of mirrors hung at various heights along the outter wall of the restaurant proved not to be mere decoration. In fact, they provided the diner with a clever, yet subtle way, of watching the reflected activity on the street, in the kitchen, and among fellow diners. This restaurant has great potential. The subtle and beautifully crafted food is glorious. Be patient, show appreciation, and you will be rewarded.

The Details on Caffe Falai

Place Categories:

  • delicious fresh italian food
  • great atmosherefriendly service
  • delicate pasta
  • tasteless food
  • nice coffee
  • beautiful design
  • not very good waitstaff
  • rich chocolate
  • just plain awful service
  • elegant chandelier
  • engaging italian wait staff
  • extremely reasonable prices
  • amazing perfect al dente linguini
  • amazing desserts
  • rude waiters
  • love white
  • fresh pasta course
  • rude staff
  • rude so
  • completely enjoyable brunch
  • perfect start
  • enjoyable meal
  • nice breakfast
  • good polipo octopus dish
  • luscious bottle