Restaurant Diary is a column where food editor Clementine Hecker reviews restaurants they find noteworthy that stand out among the millions of options in NYC’s restaurant scene.
Being a student at The New School means spending each day temptingly close to a myriad of delicious restaurants dotted across Greenwich Village. But even though the campus is part of the neighborhood, many of these restaurants are out of students’ reach due to their elevated price points. The thought of dinner in the village implies a hefty cost, and if you are looking for Italian cuisine, your wallet might shiver all the more.
Maybe you’ve dreamt of sitting down at one of those inviting Greenwich Village tables that line the sidewalk, under an awning of heat lamps and plants, to treat yourself to a quick lunch or dinner, without the intimidating price.
Every time I have craved this experience, Rosemary’s has come to the rescue. It’s an urban-farmhouse style restaurant that serves a simple and seasonal Italian menu — with classic pastas like Carbonara and Bolognese, as well as seasonal dishes like squash gemelli. The dishes range from $19 to $25, on the lower end of similar cuisine in the neighborhood. Its selection of salads are light but elevated in their simplicity, and it doesn’t skimp on the options for sides. You can order spiced roasted carrots on ricotta or golden beets with a shallot vinaigrette to mention a few.
The restaurant’s large open dining room, which sits on the corner of Greenwich Avenue and West 10th Street, captures the light and cozy atmosphere that defines the style in the neighborhood, but at a much larger scale. The size of the dining room can be a shock given its location. Possibly more surprising than the size of the restaurant is the vegetable and herb garden that sits atop its roof, which they maintain and source some of their ingredients from.
Lunch at Rosemary’s is particularly pleasant; the restaurant is rarely crowded, and their options for lunch are practically identical to their dinner menu. There is a mid-day prix fixe menu as well – $28 for any salad and pasta of your choice — which in the past I have been able to split between two people. Unfortunately at my most recent visit I was informed that it is not allowed to be split, but If you are more subtle about your ordering, you may be able to sneak past that rule.
The current seasonal fall harvest salad ($18) is a beautiful bright yellow color, with endives, brussels sprouts, honey nut squash, quinoa, and a turmeric vinaigrette. It has an addictive balance between the bitter crunch of the endives, and the sweetness of the squash and dressing. Paired with the chitarra alla carbonara ($23) they make a rich and comforting meal for when the days start to get colder.
The orecchiette at the same price is also a tempting order when it comes to pastas. Classic Italian orecchiette with sausage and broccoli is an underrated dish in my book, and one that Rosemary’s does quite well. The dish evokes a nostalgia from a time when I, too, underestimated the unique textures of the thimble shaped pasta, ground sausage seasoned with chili flakes, and broccoli. But now I enjoy how the ingredients align in textural and savory harmony.
While Rosemary’s doesn’t stand out as the most magnificent Italian restaurant out of the many beloved spots in the area, it’s been popular since it’s opening in 2012 for good reason, and boasts a second location on the East Side since 2021, with a third in Midtown coming soon.
The restaurant serves as a gateway, in location and price, into the further west land of famously long wait times, impossible reservations, and shocking prices. Within all that hype, there are definitely few spots that impress more when it comes to the food, but Rosemary’s is comparatively very accessible, and consistent in all the ways that matter. If you are looking for a place with a charming environment and a variety of simple satisfying dishes, take a chance on Rosemary’s.
Rosemary’s is located at 18 Greenwich Ave., New York NY 10011.