Cipriani Le Specialita

Great little spot in midtown east! Best salads EVERRRR. Super fresh and fairly priced. Overall, this places tends to be on the pricey side.

Food: I walked in due to the Lunch special sign as I was headed back from a meeting. The Rosemary chicken and green beans were good. However, a bit cold probably as it was a bit past «normal» lunch hours.
Service: friendly and helpful yet with one issue
Price: special is listed at $ 10,however if you choose to stay to eat they tack on a $ 5 surcharge. I was completely not aware of this nor told of the fee when I sat myself at a small table and ate my food.

I order delivery from here 3 – 5 times a week for lunch.
I’ve tried the small hot plates (where you can pick 2 off the menu of what they have for the day) and I’ve liked everything I’ve tried so far. Their pastas (I don’t even know how to spell the different kinds I’ve tried) and meats (red snapper, steak flank, chicken curry, salmon, pork loin, omg the list goes on) are fresh, hot, and you can tell they use good ingredients because I don’t feel bloated or thirsty after my meal.
I always get a small salad (I make my own) and the romaine has never been yellow, wilted or on the verge of going bad. Consistently it has ALWAYS, always arrived crispy and fresh. This amazes me every time.
And their pineapple cup is the cherry on top. I don’t know how they always have ripe, perfectly sweet and juicy pineapples but they do! (And yes, fresh pineapples, nothing canned).

I really want to give this a higher rating but because of the inconsistency, the three star average rating fits.
One thing that really irks me is when you don’t get what you pay for. Should I expect 12 ounces when I order a pint? Would I pay full price for a car with three wheels? No. So my large salad should be filled up to the top, or at least near it, and not at the half way mark that has become standard practice at Cipriani. Consistent with the theme of areas for improvement, why not remove the top counter above the ingredients so the Cipriani staff can actually reach the items and not have cross-​pollination of meats, fish and veggies as they extend their arms across the entire selection?
The food is good but the sense of entitlement is not.

I came here for a predinner before second round interviews the next day, so we had a long table with about 20 people. The food was not that memorable but I hesitate to say that reflects more on the quality of the food or just my nervousness.

I wasn’t blown away by my first visit, but I’ll likely try again.
Excited to get a little taste of Cipriani at a price I could afford, I read the reviews to get an idea of what to get. Although the salads look really good, I opted for the large lunch platter, which gives you 3 options of hot food. It’s not a huge selection, but there were 2 proteins (roasted chicken, salmon), 2 pastas, white rice, and haricots verts. It was plenty for lunch, but it was not an overwhelming portion.
The chicken was just «meh.» In parts delicious, in parts dry. There were 2 tiny pieces in the portion. The sautéed string beans were fresh and cooked nicely, but unseasoned. The best of the bunch was probably the fusilli with speck and peas. It came with a very light cream sauce, and was full of peas and speck.
Was it worth over $ 14? Nope. I can get the same thing on 39^th & 3^rd at Chicken Provancal — in larger portions.
Salads start at $ 5 for a large, but I heard prices going to the $ 13 — $ 14 range with add-​ins. Delmonico’s around the corner may be a better deal (around $ 9 for a large with 6 of whatever add-​ins you want), but I’ll check that out next.
It’s a small place. When you go in, watch that you don’t get smacked with the door (trust me, it hurts!), and stay to the right. The long line is probably for salads, so you may get pulled off if you’re looking for a hot lunch. You then order and linger by the register until your name is called so you can pay and leave.
I had nothing but really friendly and efficient service.

If you don’t have the time or budget to sit down and eat at Cipriani, then Cipriani Le Specialita is for you. Right across the street from GC and the Grand Hyatt, Cipriani allows you convenience with compromising your entire wallet. It’s a very small establishment, so you may pass it, but probably not, as you’ll be drawn to its elegance and delicious food!
I went on Friday, so the specials were rigatoni, tagliolini with eggplant, fennel, filet mignon, potatoes, and red snapper. Unfortunately couldn’t find the specials menu online, but I had an idea of what I would get when I got there. So, line up and you’ll be asked small or large. Highly recommend getting a large, as a small is only two choices, which is honestly too little if you’re going to try Cipriani. A large will get you three choices. My picks were tagliolini with eggplant, filet mignon, and fennel. The tagliolini was absolutely delicious, a light tomato sauce sprinkled with eggplant and mozzarella. Filet mignon cooked very well and was very tender. The fennel was covered with cheese and was very tasty. All this was for $ 14. I believe bread is also included in a basket in the front, but I don’t think my stomach could have handled any more.
They also have salads and desserts, but I really couldn’t stay away from the pasta and the filet mignon. As for seats, they do not have a lot of seats, so best to order to-​go. It is a very small place, so you’d have luck either trying to get the two tables outside or sitting somewhere in Grand Central.

The greatest cake of all time! I liked it so much I got a special one made for my birthday to accommodate 20 people

Rough service. Yes, they’re busy at 12:30 — but seeing the employees sniping comments about each others’ ineptitude is not that great. Line is a pile of people trying to stand in front of salad, hot food, sandwich.
I ordered sea bass and risotto. Sea bass perfectly cooked. amazing! Risotto, terrible. the center is uncooked. The side bread is stale.

Always wanted to try the amazing Cipriani for lunch but was afraid to mortgage the house?
This well kept secret gives you all the Cipriani quality and taste at a small fraction of the price.
Imagine the world’s most elegant SUBWAY.
Wonderful fresh food and great service.
Highly recommend if you’re alone and in a hurry.

Came here for a quick lunch break as I heard the food here was really good. They have the often for you to pick three different items off their hot food menu. Everything sounded good so I ordered the salmon, farfalle and risotto. Half of the dish was the risotto which was okay but very bland in flavor. I only got two very small pieces of salmon with zucchini which I wish I had gotten more of. It appears that they load up heavy on servings of the carbs and not much of the protein.
The pasta tastes great but that’s mostly due to the heavy use of butter. Yes it’s a pretty good meal but for the price and amount or lack of amount of protein I’m getting, a bit disappointing.

79%
Good sandwiches, great desserts, and a very attractive value for a Cipriani eatery.
***
Discovered this gem, Nov’14 where I had lunch.
Cipriani is generally known for its luxury hotel chains and adjoining Italian restaurants. While I havent had much experience with the hotel chains, I have had the opportunity to try their restaurants between Venice (Italy, not Los Angeles), London, and Los Angeles. Ive always marveled at the level of consistency and execution in cooking. Despite this, the prices can at times be higher even though I find it to be a very reasonable value.
This business, the first of its kind Ive yet to discover, offers the Cipriani dining experience in a much more casual atmosphere with more casual savory dishes such as baguette sandwiches, a few entrees and pastas which look capable, but not something Ive tried. The highlight for me, is that the desserts offered at the more formal restaurant is also available here at much more budget friendly prices along with more civil, restrained portion sizes for the health conscious. Gluttons may rejoice in that they can try several desserts here at the price of 1 at the more formal restaurant. I’ll get to describing what I had in more detail.
Prosciutto and brie baguette. $ 10. Dish rating, 72%
— Note that despite the sandwiches on display, they are made to order instead of pre-​made.
— The baguette bread was nice. I like how it was toasted warmly, hard a good crunch on the outside, but wasnt tedious to chew through. It also compressed well, wasnt too dough heavy, and there was a good balance between starch and filling.
— The quality of ham was also solid. Its a leaner cut of prosciutto, fairly thick, has a milder saltiness that isn’t harsh, and a milder delicious pokiness in flavor that is generally delicious and ought to be accessible to most.
— Given the slightly more generous amount of ham and a thicker slice of creamy brie cheese, this makes for a richer and hearty meal despite the more modest size of the sandwich.
— I generally would have preferred a fattier cut of Prosciutto or something with a more aggressive porky presence for own preference, but that may not be the most popular nor realistic with the price. There was also a sweet mayo like sauce, however applied with restraint that I think was not needed.
Tiramisu. $ 3. Dish rating, 85%
— This is just like the version at Cipriani restaurants. Only its around ¹⁄₃ of the price if not more, and about half the portion size. There is more cream than ladyfinger cake, which makes for a lighter version.
— I loved the cream portion of the dessert. It has a deep vanilla flavor with a sweetness that intermingles well with a notable boozy presence of liqueur, and a nice bitterness from coffee powder. The character is bold, sweet, softly bitter without being harsh.
— the ladyfinger cake inside isnt too heavy and seems like it had an equal or greater presence of liqueur.
— portion size is just right enough to be satisfying for me and not be terribly guilt inducing.
Value is great that I can find such good quality dessert at such a price. Thankfully this place also offers the very good meringue pie at the restaurant. Im optimistic the consistency in quality should also be present. The sandwich for $ 10 was reasonable as well. Thanks to a 20% Unilocal check in deal, my lunch with two Americano coffees was right under $ 15 before tip.
Service was reasonably well. The server I had was attentive. The food came out reasonably swift after ordering. Its easy to dine and begone in less than half an hour.
Ambiance seemed to be the most compromising factor relative to the restaurant. There seems to have been some effort with the décor, but it looks a bit depressing and more like a place you’d order at the counter. Its not uncomfortable however.
Recommended. Id return often if I were fortunate enough to the frequent the area more often.

Great place for a casual breakfast. Love love love the oatmeal with cinnamon and brown sugar. So creamy and decadent for oatmeal!

Delightful! Surprisingly, while the name Cipriani would have you think $$$, prices are pretty reasonable. The egg white frittata is delicious. They have other pre-​prepared breakfast choices as well (eggs benedict!) along with a nice assortment of danishes, croissants. The nutela croissant is excellent. Several lunch selections are delicious as well. And, of course, great coffee. I would recommend trying this spot if you’re bored of your usual midtown breakfast or lunch choices. You’ll be pleasantly surprised. Only reason for the 4 instead of 5 stars is because service can be a bit relaxed sometimes. Who am I kidding? I envy the European lifestyle. We’re way too crazed here — but I’ll spare readers my diatribe on that matter. Ciao!

Only 70 reviews, more people have to be in the know. This is one of my favorite places for lunch, they deliver and very quick. My personal/​work inbox gets some love from Anna Romani every day with the specials and menu.
They have a LOT of variety as they do plenty of catering, so I can only speak to what I’ve tried here.
The best value here is the large platter. $ 13.00 and a choice of three of the specials, there are usually six to seven each day. The platters are pretty big. The tuna tartar is excellent, when t hey have it. It’s not overpowered with all the additives, you really get to enjoy the taste of the fish. The lobster and calamari salad is excellent as well.
Look out for the Baked Tagliolini. This is great if you want to veg out for the rest of the work day. Get the large and ask for all three choices to be the pasta. It’s a wonderful concoction of pasta, cheese and shredded ham. The lasagna bolognese is rare to come across but if they have it, GET IT. Sick. If lady M made a lasagna flavored cake, this is what it would taste like.
If you’re looking to cater something for a corporate event, this will definitely get your clients talking about the food. Hopefully you’re getting reimbursed or swiping it on a corporate card.

What a find!
Excellent food value in mid town Manhattan!
Thanks to Unilocal

Ugh, I so wish I worked near Cipriani Le Specialita. Although, it would be very dangerous for my belly and wallet.
After a half day of work, I rushed over to all the places that I always want to go to, but never have enough time for.
2^nd stop was Cipriani. So many cakes and pastries. The second I saw the Nutella Banana Pie, I knew that was the one. I also got a chocolate cake for my boyfriend.
Tried both when I arrived home. Nutella Banana Pie was almost like a sweet hot pocket. The chocolate cake was very fudgy, chocolaty, and a decadent… my favorite qualities in chocolate cake :)

The hostess was really rude but the waiters were really pleasant. We sat on the balcony. My mum had the daily suggestion which wasn’t so good, endives and avocado salad; linguine al pesto, but the desserts were awesome!

The pictures don’t fully show small this place is. It’s literally a big deli counter with 4 – 5 tables near. All main tables were taken by the time we got there, so we settled for the counter.
The lunch special includes a pasty, choice of meat and a side of veggie (2 options for each). I got to sample everything since we ordered each option. The Bolognese pasta was a clear winner over the Carbonara, creamy, well executed. I liked the salmon over the lamb (a little too chewey, not as flavorful). And lastly, I equally liked their zucchini. The polenta was not a favorite.
The service was good and I liked that they honored the 20% discount on Unilocal.
Overall, hard to get a seat but great lunch spot in Midtown.

+++
— 20% off Unilocal check in
— You come away pretty satiated with the $ 13 lunch special
— Lamb was succulent, juicy, and flavorful
++
— The service is pretty good despite the small space to navigate, I was impressed
— Bolognese pasta, carbonara pasta; Carbonara is slightly better, the the bolognese is a good complement the bread (or the other way around)
— The hostess was nice too, considering the business
+
— Salmon was just ok, as was zucchini
— Cipriani cheesecake was a new take on cheesecake, at least new to me
— No bathroom… but, you get to use the one in the beautiful catering hall, which turns this minus into a plus
-
— I saw a roach, it was near the window, but I saw a roach nonetheless (minus one star)
— I did not like the polenta
— Getting seating during lunch hour can get rowdy, bring your elbows and steel tip shoes
— The seating issue can lead to a lot of annoying hovering
TIPS:
— Just know, you’re on your own when it comes to seating. Come at one of the bookends of lunch hour if you can