Dining at Manducatis is just like having dinner at Grandma’s house — if your grandma happened to be Ida Cerbone.
The chef and her husband, Vincenzo, have owned the Long Island City restaurant for more than 40 years, and it has become a favorite stop for many.
“When you sit down to eat, it’s the best moment of the day,” says Vincenzo. “After love, of course.”
Together, they serve authentic Southern Italian dishes like homemade manicotti, veal parmigiania, and ricotta gnocchi. The recipes are the ones that Ida has memorized from growing up in Italy.
“I think that the heart of Italian-American cooking is in the south, from Rome and down,” she says.
The exposed brick walls and white tablecloths give Manducatis (which is Latin for “those who eat”) an old-school Italian feel, as do the waiters, who wear formal black vests and ties.
The dining room is usually full of families sitting around large round tables, or smaller groups who have been returning to the restaurant for years.
The prosciutto antipasti and the homemade spaghetti are among the regulars’ favorites.
You can also ask Ida to recommend something from the kitchen, which is usually a fresh fish of the day (often branzino) or whatever pasta special she has hand-rolled earlier in the evening.
Ida and Vincenzo’s son Anthony is the sommelier, and brings around a large wine list of about 400 bottles for the choosing.
Dining at Manducatis is more than just experiencing a meal, it’s digesting a piece of New York City’s vast restaurant history. And it’s all just off the 7 train.
Manducatis 13-27 Jackson Ave., at 47th Ave., Long Island City, (718) 729-4602.
