Arco Cafe

If I could give 0 stars I would. My pancakes were contaminated with goat cheese from improper food preparation– as a pregnant woman, I am not supposed to eat goat cheese due to risk of serious listeria infection.

I am biased.
I live in the neighborhood, love being greeted warmly, and love Italian-​Sardinian food.
The prices are good, the food hits the spot, and the staff are professional and warm. Francesca learned our names immediately. She hovers but not too close to be sure that each of her guests is well taken care of.
This is our go-​to place for Italian food. We bring our friends and family there, and everyone all has a wonderful time and meal!
Last night we had the bruchetta with delicious Italian bread, smokey mozzarella that was lightly melted, panchetta on top with a dash of truffle oil. The delicious homemade pasta with cheese and pepper is like the bruchetta in that the sum is greater than the addition of all its parts– I can’t remember the expression, but I hope you get the idea!
We have never had a bad meal there, and if we did, they would be happy to know so they could fix it or change your order immediately.
Yes, the early prix fixe is terrific, and sometimes there is a deal on the bottles of wine– sometimes 30% or 50% off.
But we look forward to returning to Arco as soon as we reluctantly tear ourselves away.
PS. Please save room for dessert!

The $ 12 prix fixe menu (12−6pm on weekdays) is such a great deal! The ambiance was cozy and the staff were genuinely friendly, and it almost felt more like being in Europe than Manhattan.
My boyfriend and I both ordered from the prix fixe menu – it includes an appetizer, a regular entrée or an omelette, and an optional dessert (+ $ 5).
For what we paid for, we thought that the portions were generous and the quality of the food exceeded our expectations. He got the mussel soup and omelette with prosciutto, ham, and onions; I had the kale salad (with parmesan) and the fettuccini alla bolognese. The soup was very flavorful and the kale salad was sooo fresh! They definitely didn’t go cheap with the mussels in the soup and the almond and raisins that come with the salad. The entrees were very satisfying as well, in terms of quality and quantity. We shared an affogato for dessert, and obviously you can never go wrong with affogato.
Love this place and can’t wait to take all my friends here :)

We were in a party of forty-​one that descended on this great little place on a Saturday afternoon. We arrived late after most of group was seated and the staff fit us into our teeming hoard of a party without missing a beat. We were served quickly and our entrees arrived when the rest of the table was served. Everything was prepared perfectly and the prices were very reasonable.

Very lovely place with affordable menu!
Their Prix Fixe menu is perfect. You can be a queen paying less than $ 15 that includes an appetizer and an entrée.
Sometimes, the pasta is somewhat on the salty side, but what can I say? It is affordable, delicious, and the portion is generous.
Will definitely come back.

Arco is a very nice little place in the UWS where there seem to be very few nice little places to go. The owner/​manger is always on hand to greet and make you feel right at home. We had only been there one or two times before she greeted us as regulars remembering details about our conversation from our previous visit, which always astounds me considering they must have tons of other customers in between.
Now the food.
Everything I have eaten there has always been fresh and deliciously prepared. We like to share plates so that we can have three courses. I especially enjoy the Sardinian pasta dishes. Fish is always done to my liking as well. Try the calamari and zucchini appetizer. It’s almost a meal in itself! I don’t eat desserts so I cannot comment about that.
If you are looking for a super friendly, consistent neighborhood spot, with pleasant atmosphere, where you can actually hear the person you’re speaking with, check it out.

New to the neighborhood and checking out my options, I found Arco’s here on Unilocal.We came at an off time and therefore we got lots of attention. We had brunch, eggs Benedict with prosciutto, and eggs Benedict with salmon. They were yummy, and the kitchen accommodated special requests kindly. I’ll be back!

Arco Café has been a phenomenally delicious and authentic addition to the otherwise mediocre establishments of the Upper West Side. Homemade pasta, fresh flavors, and friendly Sardinian hosts have made this one of my favorite haunts.
I’ve been here several times with my grandpa for our weekly lunch outings, and Daniele has always treated us like royalty. We come back for the food, but I think my grandpa secretly likes being treated like a king. In fact, he requested to come here for his birthday and Daniele surprised him with the delicious Semifreddo all’ Amaretto di Sardegna on the house! Talk about service!
Everything I’ve had the pleasure of eating here has been delectable. My favorites are the Zuppetta Di Cozze, Insalata Mediterranea, and Cavatelli Broccoli Rabe E Salsciccia. The mussels are enormous but still flavorful because of the savory and delicious sauce. It’s so challenging to not fill up on the bread! I want to keep dunking in the sauce. The salad is bright, and the ingredients compliment each other so well. The goat cheese is perfectly pungent. I’m often disappointed when other places use milder goat cheeses. The pasta with broccoli rabe and sausage is ON ANOTHER LEVEL. The tender, buttery pasta goes perfectly with the bitter notes of the broccoli rabe, and the sausage has such a depth of flavor. I’m literally drooling as I describe this.
The cappuccino’s here are exactly as they are in Europe: smooth yet robust. They compliment the desserts perfectly, as they are not overly sweet but still hit the spot.
In order to FULLY appreciate what Arco Café offers, you have to dismiss your American assumptions of Italian food. This is a truly authentic place. If you disagree, then Olive Garden is the place for you.

Great food, better make a reservation before you come. Otherwise you have to sit outside, which is pretty cold In all.

I live right around the corner from this place but had never been until I recently brought my girlfriend. It was amazing. Incredible pasta dishes. Great service. Varied wine selection and a really awesome array of desserts.
I loved everything from the food to the environment. Ever since i went I’ve been telling everyone that it’s a must-​go on the upper west side. I can’t wait to being my girlfriend back.

Disappointing — and surprisingly so. This place has a great rating and reviews, but unfortunately, this is not one of them.
I wasn’t terribly hungry so I had the minestrone, which was good but nothing special. For $ 8.50 I expected at least some beans or pasta or something but it was literally vegetables in broth. Tasty, but not at all filling. I should have ordered a pasta.
My friend did order one of the pasta specials, which was trucioli with tomatoes and mozzarella. I had a bite and it was tasty, but the flavors were nothing too exciting. We were both sort of shocked when the bill came to see that it cost about $ 5 more than the other pastas on the menu, and this didn’t even have meat or seafood on it.
Finally, I had the chocolate torte. It was advertised as molten, and while the inside was liquified, it was totally cold, and the cake shell was rubbery. I could tell it was premade/​defrosted or whatever. Definitely not what I was looking for in a $ 7.50 dessert.
Great service and décor, but I was disappointed enough with the food that I probably won’t be back. 2.5 stars.

I had an amazing experience here. My boyfriend and I came here and we always talk about how much fun we had here. It was very romantic and delicious.
I ordered one of their special pastas that evening, and it was out of this world good. My boyfriend ordered stuffed chicken and mashed potatoes and it was also SO good. The mashed potatoes tasted like my mom made.
The dessert, espresso with ice cream and chocolate cake, was to die for. I wanted to lick the plate. I can’t wait to come back here!

Nothing too special about the brunch food, but the prices are great! For Eggs Benedict with a mimosa, $ 11? Try to find a better deal on the UWS. Heads up if you do order poached eggs, you must clarify that you want the eggs runny or else they’ll be hard boiled.
I visited on a Saturday morning and was seated immediately. I’d go back to try the pasta everyone raves about.

**Daniele F. commented on my review, then shortly afterward updated that comment with a misguided edit, then corrected an error with third and posted a third update, but hey thanks for the pro tip about how to live my life and for redefining the phrase ‘in person’, bud.**
Gnocchi alla Montanara was pricey at $ 15.79, especially for the area, and pretty underwhelming Italian, even for the area.

A cute, casual, Italian-​Sardinian café in Upper West Side. They have nice, high ceiling, red brick wall, and outdoor seating, serving housemade pasta and other delicious dishes at affordable price. The staff there is very friendly, and provide good service most of the time.
We went there on Sunday night with rather large group (with reservation, of course), and they accommodated us with warm greeting and nice big table. We ordered several different pasta dish, which they were all very delicious, the pasta had that nice, homemade pasta texture and firmness, and great flavor. They also have great desserts, so leave some room for a dessert or two!
Read my full review of this restaurant and food on my food blog, foodlovergirl.

Hats, shirts, panties and any other garments off to the chef! This was, simply put, hands down the best g*d damned gnocchi I’ve ever had. (Gnocchi alla Montanara)
I mean, every bite was sending me closer and closer to climax – I kid you not. Every delicious, smooth, potatoey morsel coated in a flavorful cream sauce with mushrooms and pancetta made me appreciate life just a touch more than I already do.
Let’s rewind a bit. This is a cute, cozy little restaurant in Manhattan Valley with a bar tucked off to the right and some tables outside, in addition to a romantically-​lit dining area inside. Nothing fancy. I had this place bookmarked for a while and was dying to give it a try based on the overwhelmingly positive reviews. I tried the fennel salad with grilled shrimp, toasted almonds, mandarin orange and cherry tomatoes — wonderful. It was light and the bitterness and licorice flavor of the fennel (which is not one of my favorite things) was actually complemented beautifully by the sweetness of the tomatoes and orange slices. Shrimp – grilled to perfection and the almonds added a nice difference in texture to the whole thing.
Place was pretty empty when my friend and I arrived at 9 PM, so our service was quick and timing was perfect between courses. Our waiter was very friendly and accommodating (particularly when my friend wanted to send her fettuccine back and trade for another dish more her taste). He gave us a list of the specials, was very helpful in making suggestions based on what I was asking… all-​around I give the service 5 stars for this dining experience.
My friend initially ordered the fettuccine with mushrooms, artichokes and lightly tossed in garlic olive oil. It was meh… not really for us. The noodles themselves (all made fresh in their kitchen) were fantastic in their taste and texture, but I wasn’t really in the mood for that flavor profile. Clearly, neither was my friend once she had a bite of my heavenly dish. She quickly asked if she could send hers back and trade for the same thing I had.
Now, let’s revisit this gnocchi. Food for the gods. Our waiter told us that this was «the best gnocchi» and I must say I wholeheartedly agree with him on that. It was really an experience that I hope everyone’s taste buds can one day enjoy. I can’t rave enough about this dish. The cream sauce was a tad salty for my taste, but I’m very sensitive to salt in any dish, so maybe the vast majority wouldn’t have noticed – my friend thought it was perfect.
Overall, a fabulous meal, great staff and I was so full of potato pasta I laughed when he showed me the dessert menu… but then, you know, I had to see if dessert would match up to everything else. It did. I’m not really a semi freddo kinda gal, but this Amaretto delight wasn’t even stretching the stomach too far. Not too sweet, very light texture and… I’ll be back.
If you want phenomenal and fresh pasta; If you’re in the area; if you’re in prison on Pluto; if your inner fat kid needs to be released: you should definitely give this place some of your time and your money. You won’t be disappointed!

food were NOT that good
But service reallllly nice
ordered the specialty of tonight appetizer
SoooooBad none of us like it
the beef pasta s ok
but the mussel literally has sands in it and way too salty

This is a nice little Italian joint in the UWS. They fill up quickly during brunch on the weekends due to their nice outdoor patio space.
The service and setting are all pretty good — a solid 3 stars.
I’ve been here two times and have had mixed experiences with the food. Both times have been for brunch. The first time I ordered a breakfast item — poached eggs over italian bread with proscuitto. Nothing to complain about in this dish. It was well done.
The second time I decided to order from their pasta menu and had the gnocchi. The gnocchi was pretty terrible — it was overcooked and mushy with the consistency similar to mashed potatoes. I guess I could have sent it back, but I felt bad and didn’t want to waste food. The sauce was also borderline inedible — it was overly salted as if the cap on the salt shaker fell off when they were pouring the salt in the dish. I hope this was just a one-​off event, but it makes me hesitant to order a pasta dish the next time I go back. And that is a problem since this is an Italian joint. My wife had issues with her pasta dish as well — she found multiple hairs in it, so the restaurant took it back and cooked her a new one. They were also kind enough to strike it from the bill. Granted, the flavor/​quality of her dish was good.
However on the whole I’d rate my pasta experience at Arco as zero for two. In a City with so many Italian options, it’s tough to warrant going back to a place once you’ve had a bad experience. Hopefully third times a charm…

Spent a recent snowy Sunday afternoon at Arco Café & like the 4 star description says; «I’m a fan». We ended up here by using a Living Social Brunch voucher & based on past experiences, sometimes restaurant employees are quick to give a «less than thrilled» look when you share that bit of news w/​them, even though they choose to work with the companies lol. That is not the case at Arco. First of all, it seems to be run by a family who are all from Sardinia & when we arrived we were quick to notice that. They work together & have a good support system there. The staff is friendly, warm and voucher or not they were happy to have us. The brunch menu has plenty of interesting & fair priced options.
First off, we were served some nice, warm bread w/​butter & jam which is always a nice touch. I went with the steak & eggs and my company chose to go with the Eggs Benedict special. Both were really good, fresh & menu items we would both order again. I might go with the Eggs Benedict special over the steak & eggs cause the steak portion was a little bit on the small size, but you can’t go wrong with either one. We were also presented several dessert options & went w/​the Olive Oil Cake with Lemon & Strawberry which was fantastic. All in all it was an excellent brunch experience & the fact it’s a family doing it together with a warm & friendly attitude makes another visit to Arco a near certainty. I would recommend a visit here anytime.

To the last Unilocal reviwer — I concur. I’ve lived on the UWS for five years and I had never even HEARD of this place until I did some extensive Unilocal searching. But thank god I did — I will definitely be back.
I recently moved to the Manhattan Valley area and recruited a friend to come along while I familiarized myself with the various eateries in the vicinity. Happy to report that she had an equally wonderful experience.
I made a reservation on Open Table but we likely would’ve been seated promptly without one (we went on a Wednesday night at 8). The atmosphere is nice — though it’s a classy spot in terms of the food and wine selection, I’d feel comfortable dressing casually.
Service was top notch. Our waitress was friendly and attentive, but when we wanted more time to catch up/​think about our orders she was very responsive. When we did finally order after filling each other in on our lives, etc., our orders came promptly.
I couldn’t tell you what wine we ended up drinking other than it being a red, but they were having a 50% off all bottles of wine deal, so we decided to get a bottle as opposed to a glass or two each (it was worth it — both for the price and for the quality of wine). The food was equally good and well-​priced, in my opinion. I’m a salmon lover, so I ordered the salmon and was not disappointed. I wasn’t too hungry going into the meal but I ended up almost clearing my plate, to give you an idea.
Overall, a great experience. Such a gem. I’d say the menu has something for everyone, so I’d recommend it to just about anyone, unless of course you don’t like Italian food (and in that case… something is probably wrong with your taste buds).