The Knockturnal recently had the pleasure of attending a tasting at brand-new all-day Italian restaurant Giulietta at the MetLife Building, located at 200 Park Avenue.
“Giulietta is our love letter to the Italian beach holiday – be it on the Riviera or the Amalfi Coast – an all-day escape built around bright, coastal flavors, effortless hospitality, and a sense of ease in the heart of Midtown,” said owner Mark Barak. “From a morning espresso and fresh pastries to crudi, house-made pastas, and Neapolitan-style pizzas, the menu is designed to feel vibrant and transportive at every hour. Whether you’re joining us for a long lunch or aperitivo in The Giardino, we want it to feel like golden hour on the coast—right in the center of New York City.” Barak is also the founder of La Pecora Bianca, which has six locations across Manhattan.
Walking in, we were greeted by friendly hosts and led to our table. Soft lights and old-fashioned New York Jazz gave the room romantic aura. The cute pink pillow on each seat made uscozy.
To whet our appetites, we had fritto misto, eggplant parmesan, and garlic bread for appetizers. The fritto misto consisted of calamari, shrimp, fennel, onion, broccoli, olives, and aioli. It was tasty and full of seafood delights. The garlic bread was extra special as it was made with grilled focaccia and mozzarella cheese as well as lemon butter. The eggplant parmagiana was a classic which Giulietta made well. It had mozzarella, parmesan, and pomodoro sauce.
For our main course, we ordered linguine vongole and rigatoni, with eggplant caponata as a side. The linguine vongolewas simple and seasoned just right. The clams were delicious. The rigatoni was very appetizing too. For a drink I had a Proper Vesper, which went well with the meal. Nondrinkers have good options too. Off the Zero Proof part of the menu, we ordered a Paloma Amalf and a Cucumber Grove Sour. The Cucumber Grove Sour was refreshing, but if you’re looking for something a bit sweeter go with the Paloma Amalf. Both hit the spot without a drop of liquor.
For dessert we had torta caprese and the chocolate moussemade of Chantilly cream and freshly grated dark chocolate, prepared tableside. The chocolate mouse was soft and scrumptious. It was a fantastic way to end a romantic night, courtesy of Giulietta.
Other signature dishes include:
