Piacere
“Just a note they only accept Amex and cash but have an ATM so it's really not an issue.”
“We sat in awe of them chatting away, got Maestro's real name – Marco – and happily tumbled out into the street.”
“My delicious brick oven pizza, and peroni only came out to $20ish…and for the quality and service, I consider that a steal.”
Piacere
Takes Reservations: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
PokéStop Nearby: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
Rate and write a review Cancel reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
4.25 to be exact.
I really enjoyed the times I visited here at Piacere. This establishment is located just off the beaten path of the official Little Italy area, but it has a feel of a restaurant the belongs there! It is a very welcoming atmosphere and service has great every time I was here.
The appetizers here are were all not bad. I enjoyed when they have the fried calamari special, along with the pan seared scallops. I have also tried the octopus and potatoes platter with olive oil and parsley which is okay and just did not feel as satisfying as the other appetizers I have had.
The pizza they have here is on point! The dough is soft, yet crisp, especially on the crust. Oh and a recommendation I have in general is to add their spicy olive oil on the pizza. However, definitely try the pizza without it before adding the spicy olive oil just to get a feel of the pizza and then taste the difference. One of my favorites is the Salsicca e funghi pizza. It has tomatoes, mozzarella, mushrooms and spicy sausages. The Calabrese is similar with peppers and onions instead of mushrooms, and if you are a fan of anchovies, get the Napoletana pizza!
As for the pasta dishes, the ones that standout to me the most are the gnocchi with tomato and pesto. This was my favorite pasta dish here and the flavors mixed together pretty well. The gnocchi is prepared well and was very tasty. Another dish I liked is the cannelloni with ricotta and mozzarella with tomato and basil. I like how the cannelloni was prepared, as had just the right consistently of crispness.
Overall, I would definitely come back here again!
FYI: This establishment ONLY accepts American Express and Cash. There is actually an ATM here if you need to withdraw. It is actually located in the bathroom!
This place is a total hidden gem a short walk from all the Little Italy tourist trap looking places. The pizza here is amazing and authentic, two can easily split one for lunch. We went with the tomato, onion, roast pepper, and spicy sausage option. Everything was spot on without being greasy or soggy at all. We added a tomato and avocado salad and they bring fresh bread and olive oil. They have some interesting Italian beers too, I enjoyed the darker one. Service was VERY friendly and laid back, they weren't too crowded on a Sunday and didn't rush us at all. Be warned they're cash or AMEX only but have an ATM in the restrooms. I'd eat here again for sure.
I visited this place because I was really looking for a brick oven pizza joint.
When I arrived, the place had a nice vibe going on. Seating area outside and a lively atmosphere inside.
Unfortunately, I can't say anything else good about this place.
The pizza wasn't good, bland, and soupy sauce. Very blah. I tried to customize my own pie, but they didn't give me an option that allowed me to do so. I was disappointed by that. So I ordered a personal pie from their menu, because I was pretty hungry. Sad to say, I didn't even finish it.
As you can imagine, I was ready to blow this joint. Decided to ask for my bill. The bartender, who was nice by the way, failed to tell me that they ONLY take cash and AMEX. What???? My first response, was are you serious? What is this 1980? What major establishment doesn't take VISA or MasterCard? But oddly enough, they had an ATM machine in the bathroom that you can use to get cash. Yes, that's right, I said in the bathroom. Oh, and yes they did charge an ATM fee.
I've never walked out on a bill in my life, I never been so tempted to do so than that night. I was just disappointed ya.
Ouch my wallet.
It was our last night in New York and I'm kind of bummed we ended the feast with this place. Is the food bad? It's actually very good, the pizza was great and the prosciutto and smoked mozzarella plate was awesome, but for forty-five dollars I expect more than two pieces of pizza and one slice of prosciutto.
I ordered the Salsiccia e Funghi (sausage and mushrooms) and the smoked mozzarella and prosciutto. Like I said the pizza was very tasty with great mushroom flavor, awesome spice from the sausage and the crust was smoky and crunchy. All of their pizza's sound great and I'm sure they all taste "fantastico", but for $17, I would expect to get more than a four-slice pie.
The appetizer was also very good, but small; two slices of prosciutto and ball of grilled mozzarella for $16? The smoked cheese was a nice addition to my one piece of prosciutto, salty and smoky is always a good combination.
I'm not saying I wouldn't recommend this place, but don't come here looking to get the most out of your dollar. With so many Italian options in the neighborhood, I'm surprised this place is holding up.
Ciao!
Piacere, or "Pleasure", definitely lives up to it's name as they serve Excellent, Excellent, NEAPOLITAN Pizza!!
I emphasize "Neapolitan" because the few negative reviews on here were comparing this place to NY-style pizza places like Joe's, Johns, Prince St., etc. And, well, that is a dumb comparison, cause this is a different style of pizza. Sure, I love NY-style pizza and I like those places mentioned, but, this pizza is a Naples-style pizza, so it's different than our US counterpart, but it's excellent nonetheless.
You can tell they use high quality ingredients, and their pizza options are unique and similar to what you'd find in Italy.
Now, their basic pizzas (Margherita, Sausage, Salami) are very good, but if you're gonna come to a place that specializes in true Italian (Naples) style pizza, then you should get something authentic from that region.
And, those Authentic Pizzas, would be the:
Affumicata: Scamorza cheese, Speck & Spinach. Any time you see Scamorza cheese on a menu, you should order it as it's hard to find in the US and is so tasty. It's like a mix between provolone & mozzarella, but slightly drier in texture. "Affumicata" means Smoked, so the cheese has a nice smoky flavor. Highly recommend you order this pizza. You can get a margherita or sausage or salami pizza at a lot of places. But, I assure you, it's next to impossible to find a Scamorza Affumicata pizza…even here in NYC.
Napoletana: Mozzarella, Olives & Anchovies. Another original Italian. Now, I know most people dislike anchovies on pizza, but the reason it's not popular in the US, is because most pizza places have been: 1) using the wrong type (too salty) type of anchovy and 2) over-cooking the pizza and thus the anchovies. A proper pizza chef will constantly be moving the pizza around in the oven to get the right amount of crispiness on the crust, while at the same time, keeping the anchovies soft & tender. The pizza chefs at Piacere do that well. Now, if you don't like seafood, then that's another story, you won't like this pizza, lol. But if you do, then this pizza is great.
Robiola: Robiola cheese & White Truffle Oil. Robiola is from the Stracchino cheese family from the Langhe region of Piedmont (where the best wines in Italy come from – Barolo, Barbaresco, Nebbiolo). The cheese is made from equal parts cow, sheep & goat's milk, and has a creamy, tangy & mild sour taste to it. It's excellent on it's own btw with honey. The pizza is made in a 'stuffed' style, meaning, there's a crust on top & bottom, with the ingredients inside. It's very unique and decadent, and if you like bread, creamy cheese & truffle oil, then you'll love this one.
Those would be my Top 3 Pizza picks. Now, if you want something basic, then the Margherita or Calabrese (sausage) are great options, but if I were you, I'd order a basic and one of the 3 above, so you can try something different.
Also, I LOVE THE AMBIANCE! The restaurant has a dark, rustic & cozy feel to it and a few large picnic tables which makes it great for large groups, or you can sit 'European-style' next to your significant other to make for a more romantic feel. And they play fun music as well.
The wine list is actually really good for a small restaurant, and have cool options besides Chianti (which every lame Italian restaurant in the US serves). They have options like Negroamaro ('black & bitter" grape), Primitivo (zinfandel, but better in Italy) and Montepulciano (lighter grape).
And as far as price, the pizzas are fairly reasonable – $14-$18/pizza, but where your cost will be driven up, is the wine, as it's $9-$14/glass. So, if price is an issue, then pass on the wine.
Love the location as well, because normally I CAN'T STAND having to come to Little Italy as the vast majority of the restaurants are terrible and cater to unbeknownst tourists. Piacere gives me a great restaurant option when I have out-of-town guests who wanna see Little Italy, but at the same time, I want something good to eat as my fee for dealing with this tourist trap destination.
We didn't get to try any of the pasta dishes, so can't vouch for anything there, but we did share a dessert, the cioccolato fondente cake with vanilla gelato and it was rich & decadent.
Overall, Piacere is a great restaurant for Neapolitan Pizza, great wines by the glass, with an awesome ambiance at a decent price. Definitely come here.
After arriving in NYC around 10:30pm, my family and I wanted to go out for drinks and desserts and Piacere happened to be 0.08 miles from our hotel.
For drinks, we ordered a San Pellegrino sparkling water and three white wines (Pinot Grigio – Adam Masut Da Rive, Falanghina – De Conciliis, Grechetto – Scacciadiavoli).
For desserts, we shared the Tiramisu and Creme Brûlée, both of which were garnished with a mint leaf. The Tiramisu consisted of lady fingers, mascarpone cheese, and espresso powder. It was rich and creamy. The Creme Brûlée consisted of an egg custard with a thin layer of burnt sugar coating topped with fresh berries (e.g., strawberries, blueberries). Despite it being served at room temperature, I enjoyed it more than the tiramisu because it was a much lighter dessert.
The only downfall of the visit was when we asked for the bill, they told us they only accept American Express or cash. This was the first time I've heard this. Luckily, I had a few American Express cards on me!
Came here on a Friday night around 7:30pm. It was busy but we had no problem getting a table straight away.
Service was attentive and efficient. We ordered the Bufalina pizza (fresh tomato, basil and bufala mozzarella), the Orecchiette pasta, and two glasses of wine. The food came pretty quick. Portion sizes were decent but not as big as I expected based on the pictures I had seen on Yelp. The brick over pizza was really good, clearly made with fresh ingredients. The pasta was OK, not the best orecchiette I had ever had. Wine by the glass was a bit pricey.
The ambiance is nice here – good for big groups or a date night. They have a small patio area out front, which was nice during the warmer spring nights (though the tables are a bit cramped and the ground is slanted)
Overall, it was a good dinner but I wasn't overwhelming impressed by the place.
Plus, AMEX & CASH ONLY!
Very good Neapolitan style crust texture-wise, just needed some flavor. Tiny amount of flavorless sauce on the pie with very small amount of cheese and hardly any basil. They give you a chili oil to add – it is extremely hot- I used it to give the darn thing some flavor, but watch out. It is yet another pie in this city with too little toppings, low on flavor but nice texture on the crust.