The 20 best restaurants in the West Village to try right now

The soulful Italian plates served at Via Carota, the first joint effort from chef power couple Jody Williams and Rita Sodi—at once rustic, sophisticated and heart-swelling—proves simple food can be anything but basic. The glass-fronted Grove Street gastroteca (named after the Tuscan thoroughfare where Sodi once lived) is a chestnut’s throw from West Village charmers Buvette and I Sodi, where, respectively, Williams and Sodi took the reins as downtown’s doyennes of comfort food done excellently.

While Don Angie opened up in the West Village in 2017, snagging a reservation is still just as difficult. But once you get in, you'll be rewarded with a deconstructed lasagna or the prime rib braciole, perfect for two. 

The Unapologetic Foods crew is all about introducing regional Indian food to New York. At Semma, chef Vijay Kumar takes diners on a journey through his upbringing in South India. The wonderfully crunchy gunpowder dosa is a dish that should always find a way to your table, while The Mulaikattiya Thaniyam, or sprouted mung beans, call back to chef Kumar's childhood in Tamil. 

Over the past decade, Jody Williams has established a serious food-industry following. At the tiny, Gallic-themed Buvette, she's got just enough space to feed a neighborhood following. Her self-consciously retro cooking is a showcase not of the chef's creativity but of her very good taste. Buvette is the sort of place where you pop in for a glass of wine and a snack and three hours later realize you've stayed for dinner.

Last we saw Daisuke Nakazawa, he was toiling over egg custard as the modest apprentice in the film Jiro Dreams of Sushi, humbled by the rigors of an 11-year stint under the world’s most distinguished sushi chef, Jiro Ono. The pupil is now the teacher at this sleek West Village sushi bar. For his daily changing omakase, Nakazawa swiftly sets each of the 20 or so perfect pieces on your plate in succession.

King feels a bit like London's River Café—a landmark restaurant known for its seasonal Italian fare—in front and back of the house. In the kitchen, River Café alums and chefs Clare de Boer and Jess Shadbolt focus on cooking that's not overly precious: a vegetable-heavy menu complements the meat and fish courses; you'd be just as happy with a salad as you with the baked fish (the carta di musica, a crackly flatbread, is also irresistible). The simply-designed space is filled with natural light during the day, and at dinner, the ambiance is sophisticated yet relaxed. The menu changes almost every day and that's just one reason to come back again and again.

From the folks who brought us American Bar, Saint Theo’s features a coastal Italian menu inspired by Venice. Even the drinks highlight the best of Italy—Calabrian chilis, artichoke liqueur, and Galliano all make an appearance on the menu. Pair a specialty cocktail with one of the house-made pastas for a night out that almost feels like a vacation. And dress to impress! Judging by the number of celebs spotted at American Bar, don’t be surprised if you see somebody famous.

From the Fish Cheeks team comes Bangkok Supper Club. Reminscient of a night out in (you guessed it) Bangkok, the menu travels between tartlets topped with uni and crab and slow-cooked beef tongue simmering in galangal and lemongrass stock. 

RedFarm is indeed groundbreaking: an interpretive Chinese kitchen whose high-end ingredients and whimsical plating have helped pack the dining room since opening night. The restaurant is an Ed Schoenfeld joint, building on the work he began with head chef Joe Ng over at Chinatown Brasserie. Buzzy RedFarm feels like a return to those boom times, a stab at bringing some of that old energy back.

Sibling restaurant to Don Angie, San Sabino is all about the sea. Think crab and mortadella dip, mussels stuffed with 'nduja and spicy tuna spilling out of broken arancini. Order the scallop crudo served in a scallop shell martini glass to be the envy of the dining room.  

This hidden Italian-food gem is overseen by former fashion executive Rita Sodi. The toque’s homey menu favors simple dishes like a delicious lemony artichoke salad with shaved Parmigiano or the popular cacio e pepe. Be prepared for a long wait but once you're in, it's worth it.

This sequel to the popular dell’anima strives to deliver more than its precursor, with buttoned-up Ralph Lauren–inspired decor and pristinely presented small plates like beef carpaccio. The upscale trattoria's larger dishes offer a homey quality, including a comforting bowl of garganellis pasta with mushroom ragu. Sip from the pages-long wine list or snag a bottle of the fan-favorite house wine, which puts all other table reds to shame.

Yuco offers multiple ways to explore the flavors of the Yucatán. Order Wagyu and octopus tacos a la carte, choose the prix fixe menu or go all-out with the tasting menu, which features squash blossoms, lobster, and oxtail mole with rare chilis sourced from the Yucatán peninsula. The wine list is good, but don’t miss the Mexican corn whisky and beef fat washed rum on the surprising cocktail menu.

Founded by a pair of Eleven Madison Park vets, The Noortwyck's new American menu has a little something for everyone. Think savory beignets with aged cheddar to milk buns filled with char siu and whipped foie gras butter. The mille feuille with stout caramel, bananas and pecans has to be ordered, no questions asked. 

Kurt Gutenbrunner still delivers his best Austrian fare at this airy West Village corner perch that feels like a neighborhood hangout despite walls filled with Julian Schnabels. His seasonally influenced menu hasn’t evolved drastically, rotating between haute takes on Austrian standbys—soft lemony spaetzle mashed up with corn, morels and rabbit; Wiener schnitzel with an eggy shell that peels off like a bread blanket; apple-walnut strudel; and more unusual fare, including a salmon strudel. The wine list stands out for the city’s best selection of the pride of Vienna’s vineyards: Grüner-Veltliner.

Jean-Georges Vongerichten has brought his trademark virtuosity to one of Richard Meier’s gleaming glass towers on the edge of the Village. The sleek, minimalist space fronting Hudson River Park is cast in luminous whites and neutral tones that focus attention where it belongs: on the food. The menu, overseen by Jean-Georges's son Cédric, features playful and innovative variations on seasonal favorites.

On the ground floor are tatami-style rooms; on the mezzanine are re-creations of a living room, dining room and library of a Japanese home from the Meiji Era. But the main dining room is where the action is: Diners sit at tables around a small pond under high ceilings. The menu changes frequently with seasonal specials. Try the sake and shochu flights (or wonderful original cocktails) to get your buzz on.

It’s getting hot in New York’s Neapolitan pizza scene, and not just because of the blazing hearths: The man behind Kesté, Roberto Caporuscio, carries a big name. President of the U.S. branch of the Association of Neapolitan Pizza Makers, Caporuscio introduces New Yorkers to his pie expertise in an intimate, 46-seat space, with pizzas that range from the classics to original creations.

Joseph Leonard owner Gabriel Stulman sowed the seeds of a burgeoning West Village mini empire with this grocery store and casual eatery. The homey corner space has wooden floors, exposed brick, and distressed-wood shelves. Stock up on farm-raised meats, house charcuterie and domestic cheeses, or eat in at their indoor or outdoor dining options.

This casual Italian restaurant packs a cult following of neighborhood locals (including the occasional celebrity) The spacious dining room with a high ceiling spanning to the rooftop garden echoes with conversations, making for a lively atmosphere. Don't miss the gorgeous Italian fare including a line of handmade pastas that will have you making repeat visits.