Amarena

Really impressed by their food. I had the duck as my entree, which was perfectly cooked. The drinks were delicious and our waiter was very attentive. The restaurant manager kept checking on us and chatting with us, which was a nice personal touch. I would definitely come back and try more. I also appreciated that any of their pastas can be made with a gluten free pasta!

Wow, I absolutely loved this place! Easily my new favorite restaurant in the Upper East Side. The design of this restaurant is amazing; everything from the plates to the decor to the bathrooms had an incredible amount of attention to detail with a classic yet trendy design. Amarena feels like a place you’d find in the West Village not tucked away in the UES — in the best possible way. The food and service were both also superb. The gluten free pasta was the best I’ve ever had, and their vodka sauce is now my new favorite in the city (perfectly spicy and the perfect ratio of sauce to pasta). The service was also perfectly attentive and helpful with menu suggestions. Water glasses were never empty, and the wine recommendation was wonderful. All in all, I absolutely did not expect to love this place as much as I did. But I already can’t wait to come back to Amarena for more of the vodka pasta whether it’s for another dinner catching up with a friend or for a weekend date night.