Elio’s is a club, but not the kind with annual dues or a membership committee. They don’t need any of that. The borders of the Upper East Side form a natural barrier, deterring downtown hypebeasts and tourist foot traffic. Hot in the ’80s, especially among the publishing crowd, the white-tablecloth spot is still a quintessentially UES scene, built on a foundation of charmingly gruff service and textbook veal piccata.
The food here is Italian, but an Americanized version, too genteel to dive fully into red sauce. As any Elio’s fan will tell you, there are things you absolutely have to order, and it’s important that you listen. Start with the shoestrings of fried zucchini, get the bicolor pasta bathing in cream, and finish with the off-menu chicken parm that, like many proteins here, is pounded until elegantly slim. Nothing’s too precious, and it all arrives quickly, delivered by servers who, if you don’t speak up, will clear that carpaccio you’re still working on.
The surliness works. It’s part of the show, like it is at Peter Luger. If you have any doubts as to whether Elio’s really cares, pay attention to all the nice little touches. Complimentary green beans, for example, and the saucer of biscotti dropped with your check. You don’t have to be a regular to enjoy such perks, although if you eat here four weeks in a row as Tom Selleck once did, you might get the cover of your memoir on the wall.
Food Rundown
Fried Zucchini
So thin they dissolve in your mouth, these greasy matchsticks of zucchini are an essential order.
photo credit: Bryan Kim
Lasagna Bolognese
There will be specials on the menu, and this classic, bolognese-oozing lasagna will likely be one of them. Get it.
photo credit: Bryan Kim
Spaghettini Alle Vongole
Do you like your clam pasta submerged in a broth as briny as the sea? Here’s a version for you. It leans a bit watery, but doesn’t skimp on the clams.
photo credit: Bryan Kim
Veal Piccata
Veal piccata is the unofficial dish of the Upper East Side, and the version at Elio’s is exemplary. We’re fans of the tart, buttery sauce, but if you want some thinly pounded meat, the chicken parm has a slight edge.
photo credit: Bryan Kim
Chicken Parmigiana
One thing to know about the Upper East Side: Every Italian restaurant has off-menu items. Here, the most popular one is chicken parm, pounded flat, lightly breaded, and topped with a modest amount of browned mozzarella. Nothing over-the-top. Just a tasteful rendition.
photo credit: Bryan Kim
Chicken Scarpariello
It doesn’t have the same flashy appeal, but the chicken scarpariello is just as worthy as the parm, coated in a thick sauce that tastes like rosemary and roasted garlic.
photo credit: Bryan Kim
