Pepe Rosso

TEN STARS for this incredible gem of a restaurant. GREAT food at very reasonable prices, but the service and atmosphere here are trule special. The staff and owner are very very engaging and make you feel at home. Make sure to check out the specials! Wonderful experience, wonderful food. I will be back!

We totally loved it! Great food for a great price! I would definitely come back. The portions are slightly on the smaller side so maybe not ideal if you’re famished, but if the pasta is definitely great! And they give you yummy focaccia bread! ~$20 a person

Great local place for authentic Italian comfort food. I've never been disappointed, the food is consistently good and priced right. Perfect for date night or laid back dinner with friends. And once they get to know you, it only gets better.

The waitress and another employee were especially warm and kind! The whole atmosphere was pleasant and the food was fantastic! Can't wait to go back!

My wife and I eat out a ton and we found this place after we went to my son’s soccer game. The food was outstanding and you can tell everything is made fresh. We sat outside and had some really amazing appetizers and main course and then we had a cappuccino over the best vanilla ice cream we have ever had. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS PLACE.

5/20/23 first time here. Read the reviews and they were right about the food! Really good. Prices are not so bad either. Our waiter was from Rome and has a touch of NYC bravado, i think that can be misinterpreted at times. We had a great time! We wanted a bottle of red and were happily able to taste two different ones with no pressure. We chose the Pino and it was easy drinking. The table bread is really good. The GF had the Pappardelle and loved it. I had the cavatelli & short rib special ($22) and that was really good too. We had the tiramisu for dessert and it was a nice size and really good. Water bottles on the table, no one ever has to ask for water :) We sat for a while and felt no pressure to get up after dinner. We will certainly be back.

My first time in NYC I decided to check out this place in Soho that looked pleasant. I was kindly greeted by a man I assume is the owner or manager with a strong Italian accent. I ordered the champagne salmon. I have to say, no joke, this is the best salmon and spinach I’ve ever laid my tongue on. The champagne sauce was warm and savory and just sweet enough to compliment the fish, which by the way still had its skin. I love the skin! The spinach was also just wet enough and properly seasoned. The same man who greeted waited on me with gratuitous service. The cherry on top was the beautiful sun roof on the building’s floor. It made for a nice time to have a delicious meal and read my book. My only qualm is that I do believe the menu prices are inaccurate, nonetheless I can’t really complain about that as I didn’t draw an issue with it during the transaction. 10/10!

Simply the best. Our go-to after 5 years of pasta all over downtown. Penne vodka cannot be beat. This place beats so many bougie pasta places in the area. Great vibes, food, and people!

TEN STARS for this incredible gem of a restaurant. GREAT food at very reasonable prices, but the service and atmosphere here are trule special. The staff and owner are very very engaging and make you feel at home. Make sure to check out the specials! Wonderful experience, wonderful food. I will be back!

We totally loved it! Great food for a great price! I would definitely come back. The portions are slightly on the smaller side so maybe not ideal if you’re famished, but if the pasta is definitely great! And they give you yummy focaccia bread! ~$20 a person

Great local place for authentic Italian comfort food. I've never been disappointed, the food is consistently good and priced right. Perfect for date night or laid back dinner with friends. And once they get to know you, it only gets better.

The waitress and another employee were especially warm and kind! The whole atmosphere was pleasant and the food was fantastic! Can't wait to go back!

My wife and I eat out a ton and we found this place after we went to my son’s soccer game. The food was outstanding and you can tell everything is made fresh. We sat outside and had some really amazing appetizers and main course and then we had a cappuccino over the best vanilla ice cream we have ever had. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS PLACE.

5/20/23 first time here. Read the reviews and they were right about the food! Really good. Prices are not so bad either. Our waiter was from Rome and has a touch of NYC bravado, i think that can be misinterpreted at times. We had a great time! We wanted a bottle of red and were happily able to taste two different ones with no pressure. We chose the Pino and it was easy drinking. The table bread is really good. The GF had the Pappardelle and loved it. I had the cavatelli & short rib special ($22) and that was really good too. We had the tiramisu for dessert and it was a nice size and really good. Water bottles on the table, no one ever has to ask for water :) We sat for a while and felt no pressure to get up after dinner. We will certainly be back.

My first time in NYC I decided to check out this place in Soho that looked pleasant. I was kindly greeted by a man I assume is the owner or manager with a strong Italian accent. I ordered the champagne salmon. I have to say, no joke, this is the best salmon and spinach I’ve ever laid my tongue on. The champagne sauce was warm and savory and just sweet enough to compliment the fish, which by the way still had its skin. I love the skin! The spinach was also just wet enough and properly seasoned. The same man who greeted waited on me with gratuitous service. The cherry on top was the beautiful sun roof on the building’s floor. It made for a nice time to have a delicious meal and read my book. My only qualm is that I do believe the menu prices are inaccurate, nonetheless I can’t really complain about that as I didn’t draw an issue with it during the transaction. 10/10!

Simply the best. Our go-to after 5 years of pasta all over downtown. Penne vodka cannot be beat. This place beats so many bougie pasta places in the area. Great vibes, food, and people!

Came back for the Chicken Bacon Guacamole, it was good but the other one was better. Might just try every panini they have!

Dine inside or outside at this charming Italian restaurant. Nothing jumps out from the menu- mainly dishes found at most Italian eateries. However there are number of daily specials. We tried - and loved - the Black Linguine with Seafood and the Pappardelle with Salmon, Sundried Tomatoes in a pink sauce. We also enjoyed the Buratta salad which was very fresh and creamy with just the right amount of salt. We were full so our dessert was espresso and cappuccino. Unfortunately, they were both a bit bitter. Service was amazingly prompt. No one rushed us but we were finished in under an hour. Now we can walk around the delightful neighborhood!

I've been coming to this restaurant when it was formerly a hole in the wall across the street from the new location. This is a much needed upgrade with more seating and more servers to provide great service and delicious food. I've tried various pasta dishes but my all time favorite and alongside the classic Spaghetti Meatball is the Spaghetti Bolognese. Highly recommend coming by yourself, on a special date with your partner, and large group of friends to try various dishes together

Heavily recommended, go to spot for locals and visitors alike. Quite convenient after a fun day of shopping around SoHo and relaxing in Washington Square park. The ambiance and service are fine but I've had much better Italian food. I ordered the massively recommended penne vodka w pancetta and it was completely bland. I put chilli flakes on it to try to taste something. Not sure if it was a bad batch or this is just what it tastes like. The pre-meal bread was also doughy and kind of cold. A skip for me.

Hello this is still the best Italian restaurant in New York City and I am not joking! I AM NOT EVEN JOKING, YELP. I WOULD NOT LIE ABOUT THIS. What once was a takeaway spot has now expanded to a full size restaurant and it's all the more glorious for it. The food is as delicious as always -- literally everything on the menu, straight up. And peep that specials menu, it's got some real hidden gems. Plus the vibes here are forever immaculate. Super casual, straight forward, friendly, practical, but with food so damn good there is no event too big or small to celebrate here. Killing time before a movie? Friend from out of town? Got a raise? Five-year-old demands noodles? First date? Getting married? Divorced? Meeting a clandestine lover? Introducing the parents to your throuple? Coming down from acid? Birthday? Anything. Everything. Pepe Rosso, baby -- that's the motto I live by. Cin cin!

Low-key Italian restaurant on Sullivan at Houston. Affordably priced food that doesn't lack in flavor or substance. Most of the pasta is made in house and the specials add considerable depth to the menu. Our waiter was attentive and quickly saw to our needs. House focaccia and olive oil brought my palate to life. Happy hour glass of wine in hand, I placed my food order. I started with meatballs and croquettes then moved on to penne in vodka sauce with a side of broccoli. No complaints; classic, tasty food.

I really enjoyed this place! Lowkey vibes, great wine, pasta and croquettes were great. The staff was helpful with our wine selection but it did get pretty crowded and service slowed down. Understandable for a Friday in NYC. Great prices as well!

Likes - delicious food - good service - new and nice decor - close to attraction Dislike None

We were walking around the West Village looking for decent prices with a date night vibe. We stumbled upon this restaurant around 6pm and there was no line and plenty of open seats on a Friday night. It's much more low key which I think plays a role in the lack of popularity off the bat since most people in West Village are looking for a fancier experience. We ordered wine and different pastas. I got the fettuccine with pink sauce and mushrooms and my boyfriend got the bolognese pasta. Personally I thought mine was pretty amazing. The fresh pasta and pink sauce was fantastic and they served me so much I had to give my boyfriend half of it. My boyfriend didn't think his was special. We make bolognese at home so he felt like we could make it better at home. The only true kicker was that the waiter practically pushed us out of the restaurant after we signed the bill. They had one family waiting for seats at the front so to an extent I can understand. I just felt like it was classy of them and because of that we might just order takeout in the future since we feel a bit unwanted in person.

First time here. One of the guys said to sit anywhere. The service is good and relaxed but a bit aloof, not sure how to describe it. They do have a sign which says, we don't have diet coke or skim milk or gluten free :) This kind of a sums up this restaurant. One African American left a one star review saying they don't like black people. I don't think that's true, they give equally non-chalant treatment to everyone! old school Italian owners in mid forties, two guys. Now the food -- Calamari 2/5 - very chewy rubbery un edible. Chicken Milanese - 4.5/5 -- excellent. thin tender breaded chicken. large portion Rigatoni with sausage - 3/5 it comes with a cream sauce, not that great in the restaurant, the sauce was runny. However next day when I reheated it, just amazing 4.5/5. I would get it to go, and reheat it later... Will return for sure! everything on the menu is under $20

Not fancy. Very laid back inexpensive authentic Italian spot. Founded by a man from Rome Italy who was fed up with not being able to find good Italian food in NYC. This place is a must. Everything was good. Check out their specials and always get the burrata!! Buonissimo!

NEW LOCATION is across the street from the old one (see photo). I love the old experience and I love the new one just as much. Food is excellent. One of my favorite establishments of the city.

Bonus points for the crispy focaccia bread and crunchy fried chicken . Very Italian ambiance with yelling and hand gestures.

Was excited to try some local Italian style food while visiting New York and Pepe's looked promising but unfortunately it was just not that great. We stopped by around 5:30-6 PM and it was not busy. My husband and I don't eat much so we usually split a meal. We went with the chicken Parmesan on a bed of penne pasta. Portions were of course big enough for both of us. The chicken was palatable but the penne pasta was so plain and kind of hard. Hardness may be up to opinion but the sauce in truthfulness was bland and unappealing. Service and food delivery were excellent but food taste was just very forgettable. Food pricing was reasonable for NYC. This is a cute small intimate restaurant with what seems like potential to be great and I'd definitely give it another try if I lived locally, but based on first impressions, this was just meh.

I've been a huge fan of this place for a while, but I'm extremely sad to see it's no longer as good as it used to be. The expanded outdoor seating is a great addition, considering that it used to be so tiny that maybe 5 people could dine comfortably inside. I'm not sure if it's cost, supply chain issues, or something else, but I was sadly disappointed in my tagliolini mushroom dish (formerly known as tagliolini porcini). First of all, the wrong pasta was used. Instead of tagliolini which resembles a thin, squarish spaghetti, I got a thick pappardelle. The mushrooms were heavily seasoned (with taragon?), which completely overpowered the dish so that I could barely taste the tomato cream sauce. Plus, the dish was so heavily salted that I could only finish half of it. I'm rooting for this place and hope they can turn things around.

This establishment does not in anyway respect people of color. The picture is of RIGATONI TRE PORCELLINI (PANCETTA, SAUSAGE, PROSCIUTTO) price $19 plus tax $20.40. I asked at the window for my meal; immediately after he asked "is that all" he then shoved the ApplePay in front of me. It had no information highlighted, so I asked the price. My response came with a huff and puff "what does the menu say?" I paid and stepped away from the window and stood by the outdoor tables. Let me back up a bit. While I was waiting to order a young man was ordering and paying for his order with a bit of a hard time from the same person taking orders. I observed and placed my order with minimal but still a bit of rudeness. Back to me standing waiting for my order. It had taken a longer moment then I expected, so I took a sit. The young man and his date (a very pretty young woman) were sitting at the next table waiting for their order. Their order came and they opened it and began to eat. Suddenly another person went over to their table and said " I asked you if it was to stay or to go, you told me to go. If you were going to stay you should have said so this way we would have wasted the plastic for your food". With a sign of maturity and grace the young man responded quietly. His response was met with an even louder reprimand. The young ignored the second reprimand and continued eating. By this time my meal had been packed and ready. I noticed the package was rather on the light side but I took it and left. Upon opening I discovered what is pictured for $20.40 the container was not full. Sadly, I did notice a completely different approach by the staff to lesser melanin-like customers. But it is very well possible I am in a sensitive place (doubt it but all things are possible). I am so disappointed in the treatment of the young man and the lack of portion of my meal. Did I mention there were no utensils nor napkins given, just a bag with the half filled pasta dish and a bag of bread? NO STARS AND I WILL NOT CALL THE SPADE A SPADE, needless to say I will never return or recommend Pepe Rosso. Yelp please REMOVE this star, not being able to post unless one is chosen hurts the reviewer. Try adding positive and negative signs, just a suggestion.

Fair price for quality ($18 for rigatoni) Hand made pasta and you can tell it's fresh based on the texture! Waiter was super friendly.

Delicious, authentic, unpretentious Italian food. Eating here transported me back to meals in Italy. There were so many delicious pasta dishes to choose from, and our side dish of spinach was generous and truly well cooked (yes, there's a right and a wrong way to do it). We had a nice conversation with the owner and one of the cooks, who seem like a great team. While we were there, the seating area was consistently full - a testament to their cooking, since they don't rely on cutesy decor or fancy cocktails to attract customers. I have a lot of respect for places like this, where the focus is on authentic and delicious food rather than trends. Pepe Rosso has been cooking real food for 24 years, and now that I have eaten here, I look forward to visiting many times in the next 24 years.

Bolognese borderline inedible because of how over salted it was. I was starving so it's the only way I could have gotten it down. It's a shame this place used to be good

Amazing service and food every time!! The new location is great and spacious!! So happy they got this location

Such sweet employees, but sadly the food isn't good anymore. I use to love this place for a quick, simple meal. The flavors were consistent. I don't know if it's because of covid, but the food isn't good anymore. I normally order the penne vodka and it was very disappointing. Chicken parm was bad too. Too much batter which fell apart and wasn't crispy enough. I hope they'll return to their once great quality of food because I enjoyed it back then

Super cute restaurant with excellent food and service! I got the penne with tomato and basil sauce and tiramisu. Authentic and delicious. The portions are nice and the prices are good. A nice lunch quick spot alone or with friends! Can't find anything to complain about. Definitely will be back!

I came to Pepe Rosso on a Tuesday night at around 7:30 and by nature of this being a takeout location, they have just a few tables-- The entire back area was reserved for a large birthday group. We did have to stand and wait for our food until the table was open, but the staff was very nice and once our food came, it was very good. In terms of salads, the orange salad was actually quite flavorful. It was more curated and interesting than most salads served at Italian restaurants. I would recommend this restaurant if you were looking for a quick but high-quality Italian run by people who know the cuisine inside and out.

I had high hopes for this place but it didn't live up to the hype in my head. The food was OK but not memorable. The server was very nice and friendly (5 stars for him). We ordered the chicken parm - the chicken was good (wish it wasn't so thin but the surface area was HUGE). The accompanying penne pasta was lack-luster. Simple paste tossed with tomato sauce (no salt, just sour taste). Although the food was edible, it def isn't something I would find myself craving for.

Great service and good food. Not expensive considering New York prices. Ambiance is good, just ask to be seated in the back, it gets cold with the door opening often. Lorenzo is super nice and friendly, went there Friday nights with my parents from Italy and he was very attentive to us and made us feel like friends. Will return next time I'm in New York.

Really good! I had the lemon chicken with spinach which was a great and light meal. The focaccia that they serve while you're waiting is delicious. Prices are pretty reasonable, especially for quality and the neighborhood that it's in.

Came in on Halloween day for dinner as it was close to the parade. Only one server for the whole place and he was stretched very thin. I had the penne vodka which lacked flavour and cheese. Service was also very slow. At least the location was good!

The ambiance and familial energy from this restaurant is amazing. The service and food was divine and I'm so happy my friend and I came across this place! Must try!

My go to place for over 20 yrs, old location, when they had a Brooklyn location, LES, Chelsea. These guys are family at this point. I love this place and it feels like home. Penne, Chicken pink sauce is my favorite, but they have some other great pasta, salad and a great house wine.

Came here with a friend and was greeted by rude staff who unfortunately do not respect people of color as we were the last to be served despite being seated before anyone else. Even after my friend (a hispanic woman) confronted the waiter about the unfair service we were still treated with minimal service. The waiter instead checked up on various other tables without checking on us in more than twenty minutes. Even after confronting the server and manager all we got were apologies that had no weight. Overall the service here was about as horrible as you can imagine.

Ohh Ohhh Ohhh the best chicken Milanese I ever had Im a dual citizen of Italy and I felt like I was in Italy Such good food!

Very good Italian food at a great price. The menu is traditional Italian American. The linguini with clams had more shells than clams tbh but everything tastes good and prices will make you forgive such lapses.

Super cute place with a truly fun Italian owner and many Italian customers all speaking in Italian with each other. That's how you know it's authentic. 5/5 for the penne vodka . Loved the sauce, very tasty . We finished the whole plate I was kinda disappointed with the mushroom Tagliolini. It was recommended on a Tiktok I saw but personally I didn't love this type of pasta and it was a bit dry. The special pink sauce is pretty much the same in both dishes. And both good. I regret not getting something with a different sauce so I could try a different flavor. It also Came with some free bread to dip in olive oil and vinegar which I liked. Overall Ambience was fun and cute, the penne vodka is what made it worth it for me.

We live close by, and ordered for three people. It was really great, but the chicken was a bit dry and the calamari was pretty bland. I would definitely return for the price and portion sizes but wouldn't return for gourmet.

Giving it 3 stars because I didn't think it was anything special for the price ($20) for one pasta dish to go. I ordered the Tagliolini and Porcini Mushroom in a Tomato Cream Sauce which is one of their more popular dishes. I wasn't a fan of the spaghetti like pasta itself, but did like the mushrooms. Very well seasoned. The sauce was okay, a little underwhelming. Don't think I'll go back because of the prices especially when there is so much good Italian food in the area.

Best meal we had on our nyc visit Pear salad was delicious! Great casual spot for lunch or dinner.

I went with my family and friends here for late lunch last weekend. It wasn't crowded. The waiter was very friendly and attentive. I had the special of the day cavatelli short rib pasta and red wine. It was divine. Everyone in the party loved their food. We tried the tiramisu and affogato for dessert. Will go back when I am in NY again

Sorry to be so honest since the owner seemed to be very attentive and polite. But the food was not to good. I got the meatball spaghetti. Meatballs were not good at all.

Love this quaint, no-frills Italian cafe. Within 5 minutes, your delicious, piping-hot pasta is before you with a side of bread and olive oil. It's the quickest and cheapest way in the city to eat a delicious pasta. Love their pasta with a simple basil and tomato sauce, and their rigatoni with chicken and mushroom in a pink sauce. Comforting, affordable, quick, wonderful. 5 stars!!!!!

The Lasagna was made with zero love. It finally came to the table and it was a OK portion. Just a square piece of Lasagna with little flair. No extra fresh sauce on top to make it pop.... The dry top Lasagna was cold in the inside and for $20 totally failed in every what possible. Sad that such an easy dish failed miserably. The restaurant and staff are very friendly.

If I could give it 6 starts I would. Authentic made to order Italian food. Phenomenal pasta and amazing home Made bread! The owner was so welcoming! This place is a must

I almost didn't want to write this review because I love that it's a hidden gem and it's not too commercialized. The penne arabbiata is one of the best red sauce pastas I've ever had. It's the perfect amount of spicy and comes with a delicious soft focaccia to start with. This is the cutest little quick date spot or causal solo lunch place when you're in the area.

Stopped by for a quick lunch yesterday and wow they are efficient! My food was ready in five minutes flat, I think it took me longer to decide what I wanted. The pasta was a perfect al dente and the pink sauce was super flavorful, full of prosciutto and arugula on top. Great service will be back!

TL;DR Staff is passive aggressive... order was sabotaged. I will no longer visit this establishment. I've been coming to Pepe Rosso to go for years (since they were at their much smaller location across the street. I walked in to place a take out order and was asked what I wanted. Me, "Just a chicken parmigian with penne". To which I got a snarky reply, "Just? Just? I mean it's more than just chicken parmigian and penne...". In my defense the word "just" was not a comment on the size of the dish but to be efficient and avoid the next question I usually get which is, "would you like anything else with that?". No that's all I am order because I JUST want the chicken pargmigian. Regardless the snark alone is nothing to get upset over... So I told them that I would be sitting outside waiting for my order. I go sit outside and I'm watching the pass and I see a take out order appear 10 minutes later. I watch the person who took my order walk over to it, look at it, and walk away. I'm assuming that it was not my order. Another 10 minutes go by and a second take out order appears. That one must be mine so I walk in and the server looks at me and looks at the pass and picks up the FIRST order (from 10 minutes earlier) and hands it to me. The cherry on he cake is when I got home and opened my cold chicken parm to find it burned with black char on both ends. Fair well Pepe Rosso.

Pepe Rosso To Go is a nostalgic place for me. I ate many dinners here, while studying for exams back in the day at NYU... it was that warm, homey, comfort food that made late nights bearable. It's a really small restaurant, hence the "To Go" in it's name. It can't handle more than 8 people (2 per table). Order at the counter and try to grab a seat if one opens up. There's bread, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil with red pepper flakes to munch on while they cook your pasta in the kitchen just a couple of feet away. The pasta is fresh, cooked al dente, and tastes delicious. If they don't have it on the menu, you can just ask them to make you whatever you want. My favorites have been: - Black tagliolini with shrimp and calamari in spicy tomato sauce - Spaghetti with bolognese - Pasta carbonara (cheese, egg, cheese, bacon... what's not to love?) - Pasta with shitake mushrooms, prosciutto, peas in some cream sauce And glass of wine is only $6/7! It's not a place to relax and eat dinner for an hour... they kind of a have a 20 minute time limit... so go shopping in Soho, make your way up to Houston, renourish yourself, and then continue on.

Best pasta in the city, has been for 20 years. But dont be in a rush- maybe not super efficient!

Did the owners and staff change because the cooking has. The penne vodka used to be solid stand by, Now it's watery and the pancetta has no real flavor. Where is the balsamic vinegar? Things are not as good as they were at the new location.

The chicken, peppers and pesto panini totally slapped--it was absolutely delicious!! I got it on the house-made focaccia, which was moist on the inside and crispy on the top as well as flavorful. The peppers tasted fresh and well-seasoned, and the chicken was cooked decently. I ordered it to-go and it was ready for pickup within 20 minutes! I was a bit late, but they kept it warm for me and were really quick at the counter. Really fair pricing for the quality you get too. I'll definitely be back to try out the pasta dishes!

No other words but YUM! Never disappointed and always delicious. The service is great, I've been going for patronizing for over 24 years. Love love the menu!