There was a time when the only Carbone reservation you could get was at 10:15pm on a Tuesday. Those days are mostly over, but if it’s a weekend and no tables are available, the simple workaround is to book a spot at Carbone Vino instead. The offshoot restaurant is next door, sharing a courtyard and a few dishes with its bigger sibling, so it’s a solid choice when you want the same food with less of a scene.
Vino is more toned down than the original, but it’s still upscale. The large bar is comfortable and usually has space for walk-ins—or anyone waiting for a seat at Carbone—and the small marble tables keep you within fork-feeding distance of your date. We like to run through the massive wine list, pulling out something new and Italian to pair with the great New York strip steak and some pasta. The spicy rigatoni vodka is mandatory, even if it’s not actually all that spicy.
photo credit: Major Food Group
When it’s full, Vino feels festive, and not just because someone is probably celebrating their birthday two tables over. When it’s empty, it feels a little somber, especially since the dining room looks right into the livelier Carbone. But if you’re going out in the Design District and care more about convenience than spectacle (and really want that rigatoni), it’s nice to have options.
Food RundownThe Wine
Carbone Vino lives up to its name. The list features about 1,000 bottles, including some good deals on non-vintage champagnes and enough Italian reds to send you down a years-long rabbit hole.
Caesar Alla ZZ
The salad looks great, with romaine hearts and garlicky croutons covered in a tundra of cheese. We like the anchovies’ briny punch, but the dressing can be inconsistent—one day too bitter, another too salty and rich.
photo credit: Major Food Group
Spicy Rigatoni Vodka
This is the spicy rigatoni that’s spawned so many other spicy rigatonis. The pasta has a pleasant bounce, and while the sauce is famously not spicy (there’s just a mild hint of chili), it is sweet and zesty, with a fresh burst of tomatoes standing up to the cream.
photo credit: Major Food Group
Pumpkin Agnolotti
This pillowy pasta provides just enough bite before sinking into the creamy mix of pumpkin and mascarpone. The brown butter sauce is rich, sweet, and a little overpowering, but the crispy fried sage and crumbled hazelnuts are a nice touch.
Rosewood NY Strip
Serving the immaculate local beef from Rosewood Ranch is basically a cheat code for steaks, but the restaurant still has to cook it, and Vino nails it. The 14-ounce strip is nicely charred and meltingly tender, with a deep meaty flavor that renders the heap of herbed butter on top unnecessary.
photo credit: KeviN Gray
Dining and Cooking