Manga! New York’s Best Italian Bistro is a hidden gem that replicates everything about an Italian Family Supper minus the arguments! This place is a beautiful smash up of East Coast fun and Italian love that has been serving the Valley for 21 years.
Whether it is unique location at the Scottsdale Air Park, the Rat Pack playing overhead, or the fact they make most of their ingredients from scratch, New York’s Best Italian Bistro is the place you didn’t know existed but definitely should.
We were greeted with a hearty Italian greeting from Manager John or “Johnny” if you’re a regular. He sat us a quiet table and provided us with some information about the place. Johnny’s family were the original owners of NYBIB and because he loved it so much he stayed to keep the dream alive. John is originally from Italy but moved to the Bronx New York to help run his family’s produce shop. His family moved to AZ and NYBIB was born. Now this may be boring information for some but it really helps to set the mood of restaurant. Every person who walked in the door was greeted as if they were at Sunday Dinner with their family. The atmosphere is unlike any other.
We started out meal with their fresh baked focaccia bread and dipping oil. The bread was almost too hot to touch it was so fresh. It was amazing. We then dived into the Burrata and Prosciutto appetizer with marinated tuscan tomato and balsamic glaze. The dish was a perfect start to our meal. The Burrata was fresh with a creamy center and the prosciutto with the balsamic glaze was a delightful mix. We also enjoyed their Calamari Fritti with tomato-basil sauce. The portion was huge and the Calamari had a light and delicious breading that soaked up the house made sauce. Other appetizers New York’s Best Italian Bistro offers include Clams Marichiara, Antipasta and Caprese salad.
John also provided us with perfect wine for our meal. I have to say their house Ca’Donini Pinot Grigio is probably one of the best Pinot Grigio’s I’ve had, and that says a lot! We also enjoyed a glass of Chianti.
We were then pleasantly surprised to meet Chef Albert who brought out our entrees. Our first dish was the Spaghetti al Pomodora with house made tomato basil sauce. The pasta was homemade and the sauce was perfectly sweet with a touch of basil for a spice component. Secondly, we had the Gnocchi ala Senese in a brandy cream sauce, sausage, ham, and fresh herbs. This dish, wow! It was so flavorful with the perfect blend of creamy, salty, and a hint of sweet. The Gnocchi was perfectly prepared and soaked up all of the flavor from the sauce. Next we had what was described by John as an “old world” dish, the Chicken Calabrese. This is what I would call “comfort food” with chicken, sausage, sweet pepper, bell peppers, and sliced potato. We asked for it spicy and they added some jalapeño for an extra kick. You have the option to get it mild or hot. Lastly we were surprised by a special treat made to order, the Risotto Con Gambari featuring grilled prawns, tomato, artichoke hearts, asparagus, corn, and a hint of cream. I took one bite and stated, “this is like butter!” The meal just melted in your mouth. The prawns were also cooked perfectly and were the “cherry on top” of this dish.
Chef and John came to check in after we tried all four dishes. He and John seem to have a special work relationship that presents itself in the quality of their food.
We have to say we were very spoiled in having the opportunity to try so much of their menu, but we highly suggest going back to explore their amazing menu.
Now that we were completely full, in normal Italian family fashion we kept being served! Our last and final dish was tiramisu, homemade Italian cheesecake, and fresh cannoli. John also provided me with a decaf espresso to go along with my dessert, he thinks of everything! The cheesecake was unlike any other cheesecake I’ve tried. It was light, moist, and absolutely delicious. The tiramisu was rich with flavor with the perfect amount of sweetness. The cannoli filling was sweet and the shell light and crunchy. We felt so bad to leave any of these dessert on the plate but at this point be we were stuffed.
For the month of August, New York’s Best Italian Bistro will be serving up some Purslane dishes as well. Purslane is a “superfood” that has the highest Omega 3 of any vegetable and some fish!
As I’ve mentioned before, New York’s Best Italian Bistro really makes you feel like home. We had different customers coming over to greet us and tell us how special the restaurant is to them. It is a neighborhood bistro with Italian roots and big family love!
Susan Cooper is the owner of New York’s Best Italian Bistro and she maintains the original menu that her customers love, while also adding new, fun and one-of-a-kind offerings to keep things fresh and seasonal. They make their dishes from scratch, so it is important to her to always be looking for new and original cuisine to offer her customers.
Be sure to check out their Chef Bistro Favorites, that are one of a kind, and the Chef Daily Specials for Lunch and Dinner.
For more information about New York’s Best Italian Bistro, visit nybest-italianbistro.com.
New York’s Best Italian Bistro
13901 N 73rd St
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
Why did this restaurant close if they received rave reviews all the time? I knew Susan once upon a time