La Lanterna Caffe

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129 MacDougal St (at Between W 3rd Street and W 4th Street)
New York, NY 10012

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(212) 529-5945
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Cafes

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Fireplace

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Food & Dining

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Restaurants

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La Lanterna Caffe - New York, NY
La Lanterna Caffe - New York, NY
Reviews
( 42 )
( 17 )
( 4 )
( 2 )
( 5 )

Best

I went there with my boyfriend for my birthday dinner... Without having to wait a minute, the waitress escorted us to a kind of ""winter garden"" dining room... AWWWWW!!! The smal...

Worst

After reading all of the reviews for La Lanterna Caffe, I expected this place to be the perfect Valentine's Day dinner spot; boy was I wrong. I can certainly deal with the slow, ...

Afternoon Delight 10/6/2005

Stumbled unto this little gem early one saturday afternoon and was thoroughly pleased with the wonderful little backyard. It is so hard to find nice outdoor dining in NYC that it's worth a mention. The food and service were quite pleasant also. I highly recommend you get there soon, before it's becomes too well known. Pros: Garden, Sandwiches, service more
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Love the Pizza! 10/5/2005

I've been coming here for a few years and have always been pleased by the great food, attentive service and super atmosphere. Definitely try their Pizzas and Wines--although their desserts are not-to-shabby either. All in all, a winner. Pros: pizza, wine, ambiance more
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The best time! 9/30/2005

I have been coming to La Lanterna since my days at NYU Law and have never been disappointed. The food and coffee are consistently top-notch and the staff is excellent. And with all their recent additions (a jazz bar, and fabulous garden dining) I find that I visit more now than ever. I heartily endorse this NY Institution! Pros: Garden Dining, Food, Atmosphere more
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Romantic, Romantic, Romantic 9/29/2005

This is definitely the place to take a date when you want to make a lasting impression. I went there last night and the food was great (we had all three lasagnas), the room was dark and romantic, and the jazz spilling out from the bar made the night a hit! You do not want to miss this not-so-little gem! Pros: Romantic, music, food more
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Garden Oasis!!! 9/23/2005

My Girlfriend and I stumbled onto this hopping place the other night and had a great time! THe Pizza and wine were excellent-the service too--but what really MADE this place was the backyard dining area. It is one the nicest outdoor restaurants I have ever seen in NY--I am from Italy and this place rivals the ones in my country. They tell me they are going to cover the garden in glass for the winter, so i'm looking forward to going there on a snowy night to enjoy it.Check this place out! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!! Pros: Garden, Garden, Garden more
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This place rocks... err no jazz, but so cool ! 9/4/2005

I love this place. The ambience is fabulous the food is not excellent but it is a so romantic place, that you spend more time to speak and enjoy the place rather to eat (really), the service as always been excellent, I had one a day a problem with a Calzone, I was not happy, the waiter was arguing but gave me a free glass of wine. The music bar downstair, is becoming a gem when jazz players and guitar fans comes to this place. Pros: ambience, music, wine Cons: service more
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The Best Greenwhich Village Haunt 6/22/2005

I just read Mocaramel's review and felt compelled to respond. I have been coming here for years and have nothing but good things to say about the service and the great staff at La Lanterna. Over the years the host, Vittorio, and his crew, have always treated me as family--although with all the business this not-so-little gem does, it amazing he's even able to remember a consistent but not-so-frequent visitor. I've also been amazed at all the new additions in the past few years: A new Jazz Bar, the most fantastic Dining Garden, the Best Thin Crust Pizzas, and now a Lasagna Menu which is to die for (these are not your average lasagnas)! I lOVE THIS PLACE! Keep up the good work guys! Pros: romantic, inexpensive, great food more
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First Date recommended 4/29/2005

Very romantic fires - I've literally spent hours at Lanterna, drinking wine from their extensive wine and enjoying the ambience. Reasonable prices. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for a first date. Try the chocolate mud cake (warmed) with 2 scoops of dulce de leche gelato. WOW. Pros: Ambience, Dessert, Reasonable prices more
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Pizza to die for 4/10/2005

I've been wanting to take my long-distance boyfriend there for months. We finally made it there for our 1 year anniversary. The service was wonderful. The waiter was very attentive and friendly. The thin crust pizza is the best I've ever had. The atmosphere is nice but I was surprised as to how loud it was with all the talking, especially since no other reviewer mentioned this. Consequently, it wasn't the most romantic. The strawberry cheesecake was also a disappointment. It was pre-cut and the texture of the strawberry was firm, like it had been sitting in the fridge. Nonetheless, we are looking forward to the next time for more pizza and the great service. Maybe it was an off night. Next time, we'll try downstairs. Pros: service, pizza, cozy Cons: small, loud, dessert more
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Service sucks!!!!! ----Bad attitude I ever had. 4/6/2005

My husband and I went there on our 2nd wedding aniversary. We tried downstairs where a Jazz band played. However, the ceiling was low and the air was bad. We returned upstairs and asked to sit at a table near a window previously occupied, but he lied and said the people sitting there would return. They already left! The waiter didn't want us to sit near the window. Eventually another waiter cleaned up the table and allowed us to sit there. However, he was also very UNFRIENDLY and RUDE to us, yet he treated other customers with respect. He also went outside to smoke while he was serving us, and came back smelling like cigarettes. He didn't even say farewell when we left. Terrible service!!! The iced tea I ordered was watery and old. We will NEVER return to that restaurant!!! Pros: Delicious Food Cons: Small portions, Unfriendly waiters, crampy bar room more
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Fantastic 12/1/2004

Having hunted around for a quiet, romantic, yet not hideously expensive restaurant I stumbled across reviews for La Lanterna and gave it a shot. Quite simply it's like stepping out of Manhattan and into a haven of tranquility. The service was attentive, yet unimposing, the food was far better than many notorious restaurants in Midtown and the wine list is extensive and well priced. The Prix Fixe menu is worth every penny and you get more than enough (both in quantity AND quality). I will be going back and heartily recommend it! Pros: Service, Food, Price more
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Love this place 10/4/2004

I am in love with this place. The pizza is delicious and now that the garden is open, it's one of the best places to go for a date or with a friend to talk. The martini list is incredible--the banana creme pie and chocolate cake martinis are to die-for. We've had the same server each time we went and he's very good at recommending drinks and dessert. I would definitely recommend La Lanterna! Pros: Ambience, Martinis, Pizza more
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a personal favourite 5/22/2004

best pizza in the city fantastic bruschetta open late top-notch, friendly service excellent desserts Pros: atmosphere, service, food more
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Late Night Gem 5/17/2004

I went over for a midnight panini and was pleasantly surprised. Good food and attentive service. Can't wait for the backyard garden to re-open. Great late night option. Pros: Late night dining more
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VERY ROMANTIC and COZY 4/9/2004

I've only been here late nights so I haven't really tasted anything but their desserts, but I highly recommend this place just for the atmosphere alone. In the winter they have the fireplaces working which immediately creates a cozy romantic feel. I prefer the downstairs because it's bigger and there are a few couches if you're lucky to snag one. Great place to take a date. It's usually packed on weekend nights but somehow I never really had to wait that long for a table. Highly recommend it. Pros: Romantic, cozy more
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I'm in love 4/1/2004

My boyfriend and I loved this restaurant so much that we went back again the next night. The ambience is extremely romantic, even if you get seated upstairs. The margherita pizza is delicious. The next night we tried the quattro formaggio but the gorgonzola was way too over-powering. The salads are great, the martini list is huge (mm i tried the creamy chocolate martini) and the tiramisu was a perfect ending to an amazing dinner. I highly recommend this restaurant!!! Pros: margherita pizza, martinis, service more
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I loved it! 3/30/2004

In the last week end I visited twice this great restaurant-pizzeria with my girlfriend. Both nights we really enjoyed their salads and great pizza, let me tell you for an italian it's not easy to find a pizza here in America that we would describe superb such as the pizza at La Lanterna. Their drinks are very good as well and the atmosphere makes it special. Pros: Pizza,pizza,pizza, Atmosphere, Drinks more
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Wonderful experience! 3/25/2004

La Lanterna was an absolutely wonderful experience! The atmosphere, food, and service were all top notch! My wife and I will be returning there soon. We just can't say enough about it. On a scale of 1 to 10? A 10!!! Pros: Atmosphere, Service more
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The Most Romantic spot in NYC 3/10/2004

A friend and I stumbled across this place a few years ago on a quest to find dessert one night. We have been going there ever since. It is definitely a good place to take your significant other or just hang out with friends. The staff are always very pleasant, the food is always good (we have tried almost all the desserts!!) and the owner is extremely attentive and treats you like family. Of course the fireplace in the winter is a bonus too!! Hands down one of my most favourite places to go - I plan on sharing this little hiding place with my boyfriend very soon!! Pros: good food, reasonably priced more
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Perfect Valentine's Day spot! 2/14/2004

My boyfriend took me to La Lanterna last night for V Day. It was the most romantic spot I've ever been to in NYC- small, quaint, dimly lit with candles and jazz playing. The manager took care of us as if we were his own family, remembering names and checking up on us every five minutes. The food was as good as homemade, and all the suggestions were excellent. Totally swoon-worthy! I will definitely be going back soon and can't recommend it enough...! Pros: Great service, Great food, Very romantic more
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Menu for La Lanterna Caffe


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The downstairs location is just part of this jazz bar's charm.

Owner Message

  • Open Sunday through Thursday from 6:00pm to 2:00am, and 6:00pm to 3:00am on weekends, Next Door features fireside dining along with live music nightly.
    Next Door is also available for private or corporate functions.

    Join us for your next night out and come see the new addition to New York's Most Romantic Hotspot.

Editorial

  • The Scene
    Waiters--winking Old New York types in black vests and white aprons--count on the same scenario every shift. Invariably, an affectionate couple wanders in, handpicks a table and...

  • 6/3/2005 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Sun-Thu 6pm-2am Fri-Sat 6pm-3am
  • Payments: Visa, Diner's Club, American Express, Discover, Master Card
  • Neighborhoods: Downtown, Greenwich Village
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