Lilia

Even 10 years later, a reservation is just as hard to come by at Lilia, which is why I jumped at the chance at a last-minute, late-night reservation, before even confirming the possibility of tablemates. And as someone who had yet to make it inside (really, I gave up trying some time ago), I was relatively surprised that most of what was revered in the early days at Lilia still remains. Comparing notes left by our previous restaurant editor, who reviewed back in 2016, a recent 2025 visit yielded the same "crispy, fresh-from-the-fryer hulls" of cacio e pepe, sheep’s milk agnolotti, and ribboned malfadine from the pasta section and a filet of bass that's still coated with a punchy and herby salsa verde dressing. You might pause and think that Lilia is due for reinvigoration. But perhaps, when you've become the blueprint of modern Italian cuisine in the city, it is best to follow Missy Robbins' lead and "keep it simple."

And at a decade in, Robbins' greatest hits still look good. The aforementioned agnolotti remains one of the most popular for good reason: the silky, saffron thread-laced sauce coats ravioli, plump with an airy and soft whipped goat cheese that may just take you to heaven. The flame still churns out filets of bass with a salsa verde that should be mixed with the potatoes underneath, but now blowfish tails are also pulled from the fire, as the little charred morsels come to life with a nice crust of lemon and earthiness from cracked coriander. And the finisher of the evening easily goes to the gelato, particularly the Italian Job, a cold creamy swirl of gelato that goes savory with a dusting of fennel pollen, glugs of peppery olive oil and flaky salt, which, thanks to a drizzle of honey, tends to stick to the spoon.

So, do you really need to reinvent the wheel when you made it? When it comes to Lilia, we say keep on spinning.