How to dress in good Italian restaurants (NY)

I have only been to NY on business, and then, when eating, the dress code was no problem: you just went with your business suit.
However, now I am going there on holiday with my wife, and I understand that people can be very "casual" in NY, so I wonder: is that also the case when you go to "good" restaurants? I guess that at least a sport-coat can be recommended, and I will bring one. But may ties and "more formal trousers" be required?
By the way, anyone can recommend restaurants with good Italian food in NY? I am not talking pizza&pasta, but tripe, brains,oxtail, pig foot and sweatbread dishes; I do not mind if they are not cheap, I just do not want to go to places which are costly merely because they are famous (however, I do not mind if they are famous because they are good). If you recommend something, please, also tell us about dress code and if it is necessary to reserve far in advance!

Originally Posted by epa

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I have only been to NY on business, and then, when eating, the dress code was no problem: you just went with your business suit.
However, now I am going there on holiday with my wife, and I understand that people can be very "casual" in NY, so I wonder: is that also the case when you go to "good" restaurants? I guess that at least a sport-coat can be recommended, and I will bring one. But may ties and "more formal trousers" be required?
By the way, anyone can recommend restaurants with good Italian food in NY? I am not talking pizza&pasta, but tripe, brains,oxtail, pig foot and sweatbread dishes; I do not mind if they are not cheap, I just do not want to go to places which are costly merely because they are famous (however, I do not mind if they are famous because they are good). If you recommend something, please, also tell us about dress code and if it is necessary to reserve far in advance!

I would say that I had real trouble finding food that was realy italian in new york. good luck. I;ve had better luck in chicago.

Sportcoat and jeans will serve in any Italian restaurant in New York, except the high, high end ones (I'm thinking of Del Posto)

Places you want to go:

Lupa - a casual version of Babbo, Mario Batali's place
Beppe - Tuscan food, great homemade sausage
Macelleria - good for sweetbreads and steak
La Dolce Vita on 13th Street - best trippa alla Romana I've ever eaten.

Enjoy!

Each of these places will need reservations a couple of days in advance.

I would add Babbo and A Voce to that list.

You can wear jeans at either of the above and they are probably more upscale than the previous posters suggestions. Trousers and a sportcoat would also work well.

I thought Babbo was stuffy, and probably over-priced. The food was good, though.

Originally Posted by letmebefell

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I thought Babbo was stuffy, and probably over-priced. The food was good, though.
I recommend Babbo, too. I've been twice and haven't found it to be stuffy, especially if you eat downstairs. It's a very relaxing atmosphere but I wore an odd jacket and tie. There were many diners who were sans tie and there may have been a few sans jacket.

Originally Posted by globetrotter

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I would say that I had real trouble finding food that was realy italian in new york. good luck. I;ve had better luck in chicago.

lolz!

Joke post?

I really like Cento Lire on the UES. It isn't really an oxtail sweetbread place but it isn't a pizza pasta place either.

Originally Posted by Clench Million

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lolz!

Joke post?

I don't joke about italian food.

But I also don't consider red sauce places to be italian food.

Originally Posted by globetrotter

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I don't joke about italian food.

But I also don't consider red sauce places to be italian food.
I agree with you. There are some very good Italian inspired restaurants, but real, good Italian food does not play well in the US as it is too simple to justify the prices that top quality ingredients necessitate. If you gussy it up a bit, then you can charge NY prices.

GT - seriously... that's not funny.

You made that same joke about Indian food in NY - that was OK. But Italian food? You cannot be serious. There is more "real Italian" food in NYC than anywhere else outside of Italy. It's probably the most concentrated Italian diaspora in the world. I don't know sh!t about "real Indian" food, but I know "real Italian" food when I see it

I'd add that I've had much better Italian food in NYC than I did when I was leaving in Paris (which obviously, is much closer)

I would also say that as far as high end Italian goes, Babbo is probably on the low end of the stuffy range compared to places like Felidia, Il Mulino etc.

I went for, Roberto's with, Mr. Bodner and his, posse wearing a total, tweed ensemble (TTE). I was surprise to, hear 1 man at the, next table request pasta with, his risotto.

Originally Posted by gdl203

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GT - seriously... that's not funny.

You made that same joke about Indian food in NY - that was OK. But Italian food? You cannot be serious. There is more "real Italian" food in NYC than anywhere else outside of Italy. It's probably the most concentrated Italian diaspora in the world. I don't know sh!t about "real Indian" food, but I know "real Italian" food when I see it

I'd add that I've had much better Italian food in NYC than I did when I was leaving in Paris (which obviously, is much closer)

What NY places do you consider good?

The best I've ever had was a tiny little place in the Village, whose name escapes me.

Red sauce Italian ain't all bad. Fresco in midtown is great. Bice is a high end, non-red sauce Italian, but as Matt notes, they have to dress up the food to impress the midtown diner, and the prices are horrible.

San Demonico - on Central Park South - Formal - always excellent!