Gottino

Critics' Pick

52 Greenwich Ave., New York, NY 10014
nr. Perry St. See Map | Subway Directions Hopstop Popup
212-633-2590 Send to Phone

Price Range: $$$$
Reader Rating:
4.6 out of 10

5 Reviews | Write a Review
Cuisine: Italian

Photo by Brian Kennedy

Map

Rate & Review

Hours

Mon-Fri, 8am-2am; Sat-Sun, 11am-2am

Nearby Subway Stops

1 at Christopher St.-Sheridan Sq.

Prices

$4-$12

Payment Methods

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

Special Features

Bar Scene
Hot Spot
Late-Night Dining
Notable Chef
Reservations Not Required

Alcohol

Beer and Wine Only

Reservations

Not Accepted

Profile

The Underground Gourmet can’t blame Jody Williams for refusing to call Gottino a wine bar. After all, New York is practically awash in wine bars these days. So instead, the Morandi chef has christened her pet project, the elegant slip of a West Village space she opened with partner Michael Bull, a “gastroteca—my made-up word for an Italian gastropub,” she says. And when, precisely, is a wine bar not a wine bar, according to Williams? When great food, great wine, and thoughtful service add up to something much more than a cookie-cutter marketing plan.

At first glance, the casual observer might not be able to tell the difference. Gottino embodies rusticity, with all the Old World Wine Bar signifiers in place: the long marble bar and the standing ledge behind it, the Ferrari-red Berkel meat slicer, the piles of seasonal fruit (quince, pomegranates, blood oranges) that are a telltale Williams touch. Wine bottles, cookie jars, and anchovy tins line the walls; baskets of complimentary nuts are arranged along the bar for customers to crack open at will. But beyond the romantic “ ’teca” atmosphere is a terrific “gastro” restaurant, one that adapts the familiar small-plate wine-bar format to its own Slow Food–inspired, seasonally dictated, often idiosyncratic ends. If there’s a wine-bar playbook, and there must be by now, Gottino isn’t going by it. — Robin Raisfeld and Rob Patronite

Note

Gottino buys its gelati from Philadelphia’s acclaimed Capogiro; the fior di latte flavor comes with a sidecar of succulent candied chestnuts.

Ideal Meal

Bigné with Prosecco to start, followed by ciambottini, any crostini, blood-orange salad, canederli or cotechino-stuffed apples, and a bit of cheese. Or just make your way through a crock of chicken-liver pâté and call it a day.

Reader Ratings

4.6

Staggeringly rude service #2

angryenough2 from 11201 | Posted on 7/9/08

Overall Reader Rating: 1 (Not Recommended)


Food:	9
Service:	1

Décor:	9

Value:	1

My experience began with a bartender accidentally knocking a full glass of wine over on the bar. I was covered in glass and wine, my hand was bleeding and there was shattered glass all over the floor. There was no I...Read More

Horrible Service, Ruins the Whole Italian Wine Bar Experience

slandry from 10026 | Posted on 7/9/08

Overall Reader Rating: 5 (Mixed Reviews)


Food:	8
Service:	1

Décor:	9

Value:	2

Gottino looks like such an elegant & quaint W village Italian wine bar and the decor is soo cozy and really unique (bar seating only if you are lucky). The wine menu is fabulous as are the food choices etc..but the...Read More