Despite opening its doors over 12 years ago, chef Mario Batali’s legendary restaurant in SoHo is still one of the hardest tables to book in town. As New York’s best trattoria, it’s no surprise that it’s continually packed and virtually impossible to get a table at least a week or two in advance. However, when that moment arrives when you’re sitting in Babbo’s split-level intimate dining room savouring your first bite of chef Mario Batali’s lusty goat-cheese tortelloni dusted in dried orange and wild-fennel pollen, or the spicy lamb sausage infused with mint and a paste of sweet peas, you’ll be thankful you persevered. The pastas are magic, the desserts a treat and the extensive Italian wine list superb. Babbo also just happens to be one of the most ardent ‘see-and-be-seen’ people watching venues in town, so book a table on the ground floor for a front row seat of the action. Book ahead.
