Emilio's Ballato
How To Get In and What To Order
How to get in: I’ve always had Emilio’s Ballato on my list of places to go, but when I read the recent Infatuation Article raving about their food, I knew it was finally time to go. Located on the border of the East Village and Soho, Emilio’s Ballato is always swarmed with people waiting to get in. You can’t make reservations here, nor can you put your name down and wait for a text. Instead, you have to wait in line until there is a spot available. If you have ever been to John’s of Bleecker Street, it’s the same vibe. I’ve passed by before on a Friday and been quoted something ridiculous like three hours, however when I went with my friend on a Monday evening, we got there at around 5:45pm (there was no one else waiting) and were told we just had to wait about 15 minutes. Low and behold, we were seated within those 15 minutes and very excited to have scored a table. I recommend coming here at an off time at the beginning of the week to get a table. Otherwise, you will be stuck in line waiting for hours!
Vibe and drinks: The inside of Emilio’s Ballato is exactly what you would expect from an old-school Italian place. The walls are filled with pictures of celebrities and the tables are covered with traditional white table cloths. There was no cocktail menu — however the waiter immediately tells you that if you want any kind of drink, just ask and they will make it. I got a dirty vodka martini and my friend got a glass of red wine. There was nothing wrong with my drink, but when I got the check at the end and saw it was $25, I was not thrilled. I don’t mind spending that on a fun cocktail, but for a pretty basic martini, I wouldn’t order it again. The wine was also $20 for a glass of house wine, which I thought was pretty steep for the quality. Overall, I would come here for the food and skip the drinks.
Food: They start you off with some homemade focaccia with tomato sauce on top and olive oil for dipping. The focaccia was delicious! It was perfectly fluffy on the inside and crispy on the edges, with the perfect amount of sauce. Next up, we ordered the Zucchine Fritte which were fried zucchini ribbons. This was tasty, but there was nothing too exciting about it. Next time I will try their fried calamari which is one of their specials and supposed to be really good!
For the mains, I ordered their famous Chicken Parmigiana with vodka sauce, which was perfect! The chicken was thin and crispy, coated with a delicious vodka sauce and lots of mozzarella. Every bite had the perfect amount of cheese and sauce. The sauce itself was so good and you could tell it was homemade and high quality. This has been one of my favorite chicken parms that I have had in NY. My friend ordered the Arrabbiata Pasta and I really enjoyed this one as well. The penne was cooked well and the spicy tomato sauce was so fresh and flavorful. It was a simple yet delicious dish.
For dessert, we ordered the Tiramisu. If you are a tiramisu fan — leave room for this one! There was a thick layer of beautiful, rich cream, on top of the coffee soaked biscuits with coffee powder sprinkled on top. I was already quite full at this point but we finished this dessert without a problem.
Overall: I’m very happy I finally got to try this place out. I wouldn’t wait more than an hour for a table here, but I recommend coming for a nice weeknight dinner, when the line isn’t too long. Just try to get there a little early before the dinner rush and you should be fine!
Must orders: Chicken parmigiana with vodka sauce, tiramisu