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    Rustico Taverna

    4.4 (95 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Order Rustico Taverna Takeout or Delivery

    Rustico Taverna Photos

    RUSTICO TAVERNA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

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    Rustico salad
    Wing C.

    Neighborhood gem. I was craving brick over thin pizza and I found this little gem. It was EXACTLY what I dreamed of. Got the rustico salad, rigatoni, and the margherita pizza. Star of the meal was the margherita. Simple and tasty. This proves that a place doesn't need to be super complicated to be good. I will be back to try their home made raviolis too. looks like they have like 3-4 fillings.

    octopus
    Francesca C.

    very authentic italian food . be octopus appetizer is a must try ! so fresh and delicious and the pizza is fresh from a brick oven . anything you try here is delicious. customer service is amazing and inside is pretty as well

    Donia P.

    Just absolutely delicious, everything. From apps to the bread to the main course. We could not stop eating. Service was great and staff was just so welcoming, 10 stars.

    Margherita Classica
    Diego P.

    Amazing food start to finish. We were greeted by the manager who was so friendly and knowledgeable about the food. My family and i had a great time. Each dish that came out seemed to get better and better. Coal oven pizza melted in your mouth. the Osso Bucco fell of the bone. My kids loved the lasagna. You can tell they use fresh ingredients the quality and flavors of the food are amazing. Can not wait to come back.

    Tiramisu
    Klara N.

    Absolutely the best Italian restaurant! The food was amazing, especially the pizza with high-quality ingredients. The shrimp bisque soup was very flavorful, and the homemade tiramisu was the best I've ever had. Highly recommend this place!

    Fried seafood and zucchini..in a cone
    Eddie S.

    I've been following this resturant since they opened and it has always been on my list, with all the reviews of best Italian food in queens I figured me and the wife would check it out for our 10th wedding anniversary ...and I dont get it, im not even sure its the best Italian food on fresh pond road . The place does have a certain randomness though lol. When we arrived we were greeted by whom ill assume is the owner .. I believe he may have been drunk , I mean he could have had an inner ear disturbance, but something was definitely up. The interior was like a nice pizza place less then a restaurant, we grabbed our seats in a corner booth while listening to the random sound track playing in the background..a mix that had 80s metal and for some reason Supertramp every 3rd song ( not that I'm against any of that) .. the waitress that took our order seemed confused and would just say " ok" and walk away when she didn't understand something, we were having appetizers which we ordered, then I told her we were going to have a pasta course and then entrées which she replied "ok" walked awayand never took our order for the rest of the food After getting that all sorted out the apps and the wine came .. first we tried the sangria, it was some over sweet pre-made stuff out of a bottle, awful, so I ordered a pinior noir, for some reason they serve wine by the glass in a little carafe, they pour a quarter of a glass then you pour the rest..random again, and unnecessary. The apps were hit or miss , the fried seafood in a cone ..which doesn't come is a concern had no seasoning and just tasted like flour ..the dipping sauce might have been ranch dressing? The mussels and grilled octopus were very good ..next was the gnocchi in gorgozola sauce Packaged pasta the sauce was meh..had some random pieces of eggplant as a garnish. The entries were ok , I had salmon that was over cooked...it said it came with peppercorn sauce, which I'm pretty sure was just Ala vodka sauce with green peppercorn..weird..and my sides were ice cold My wife said she enjoyed her porkchop. The panacotta, like most of the meal was ok. The place is not great , not bad just incredibly average, I doubt I'll be returning , might be a fun neighborhood place though

    Homemade New York cheesecake
    Coffee A.

    The seafood risotto was pretty good but the on of the mussels shells broke and it was annoying to spit it out/ could be a physical hazard. The pizza though was delicious but smaller than your average pizza. The servers were very attentive and checked up on us. I like how the lighting looks at night. Cheesecake was good but it's hard to go wrong with that. Wish there was more whipped cream though!

    a basket of bread and a glass of water
    Chunjai K.

    I love Italian food and happy that nearby my doctor office has one. It was nice breezy day in the evening of Friday. I got a table outside with amount of food I ordered, it took 2 table together. I started with.............. - Arugula salad - nice and fresh, good mix with delicious dressings, cherry tomato, cheese and nuts. - Grilled Octopus - cooked perfectly! Soft and chewy but not unpleasant texture. - Mussels in white wine sauce - a little bit salty but teste, so I dunk some bread in the sauce and it was very good. - Linguine Clam sauce - actually, the menu was seafood but since I already had mussels and octopus so I asked the restaurant if they can made only clam sauce for me. Then for dessert, I had Cannoli and Cappuccino. I was so surprised, they had Cannoli because many Italians mostly have Tiramisu and something else. Service was some good some a bit not quite smooth; Chef was so friendly. He came out to my table and asked about how the food was. Waitress made some misunderstood and lack of communication. I talked to the owner and cleared everything up, so I understand that everyone is not perfect. Hopefully, If I have a chance to go to this place again, it should be improved.

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    My family loves this restaurant! The food is amazing, the owner makes us feel like family, a great experience.

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    2 years ago

    We loved this place for dinner. Pizza was so delicious and the staff are friendly. Would recommend!

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    4 years ago

    I love this gem! The pasta dishes are outstanding, pizza is awesome! I will happily work my way through this menu!!

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    4 years ago

    Octopus is my favorite food and this place has a delicious one. The food is fresh and tasty. Good service

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    5 years ago

    Food is above average and fresh, service is warm and friendly, and atmosphere homey. No complaints, look forward to returning.

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    5 years ago

    Tried their mixed seafood pasta dish and is was excellent. Their Aperol drinks were pretty good too.

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    Business owner information

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    Sandro G.

    Hi Jolene,thank you so much for your kind review. See you soon.

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    5 years ago

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    Sandro G.

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    4 years ago

    Amazing place, owner very friendly, authentic food, and great atmosphere. Went here on a limb and will be back when I'm in the area!

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    Page 2 of 3

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    Do they take Reservations?

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    Lillian Pizzeria

    Lillian Pizzeria

    3.9(319 reviews)
    2.5 miForest Hills
    $

    I've never eaten here in person, but I've taken plenty to go. My parents love NY style pizza (they…read morelive in the South), and this is the place they always want me to order it from. They're great, and the service is phenomenal. I wanted to comment about their catering, because they shined here. I had my kid's birthday party over at Dream City and needed to order pizza. We also had a guest who was lactose-intolerant, and another who was gluten-free. My son also has an egg allergy, so when I called to confirm that there was no egg in their pizza dough, they confirmed that it was correct. Some old school NY pizza joints don't appreciate this question, but the owner here was kind and understood exactly why I would want to ask this question. They also made sure that my guest who was lactose-intolerant wouldn't have a pasta dish made with any butter or milk. They delivered the 8 pies, gluten free personal pizza, and pasta for my lactose-intolerant guest right on time. I had placed the order a few days before, so I was worried about them being on time, but that wasn't an issue at all. Everyone raved about the pies, and our guests with the food intolerances were happy with their food, too. The delivery driver was pleasant and made sure things went where they needed to. If you need a good pizza caterer in the area, look no further than Lillian's.

    Friendly service. This time I tried the grandma Sicilian slice. They don't have lasagna any more.read more

    Photos
    Lillian Pizzeria - Pepperoni garlic knots

    Pepperoni garlic knots

    Lillian Pizzeria - Chicken parm

    Chicken parm

    Lillian Pizzeria - Ray Romano stopped in while I was having a slice!  Here he is with the pizzeria owners.  (May 2012)

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    Ray Romano stopped in while I was having a slice! Here he is with the pizzeria owners. (May 2012)

    Radici - Polpo - grilled octopus with hummus and grilled vegetables

    Radici

    4.3(91 reviews)
    2.4 miForest Hills

    The food here is delicious, but what's even better is the SERVICE. 10/10. I'd come here just…read morebecause they treat you so well and that means more than what's on the menu. They help you pick the right wine, they explain everything. would definitely come back.

    We stopped in for lunch on Saturday and were surprised by how quiet it was around noon, although it…read moredid start filling up a little later. I'm also surprised I've never noticed this restaurant before, considering I've probably driven past it countless times. The restaurant itself felt clean, comfortable, and welcoming. Our server, who I believe was also the owner, was incredibly friendly and attentive without ever being overbearing or making us feel like we were being hovered over. The whole meal had a relaxed, comfortable feel to it. Overall, the food was very solid. We started with the Polpo, grilled octopus with hummus and grilled vegetables, which was extremely tasty. I initially thought hummus might be an odd pairing with octopus, but it worked surprisingly well. I wished there was more hummus. The Radici salad was also excellent. The Tortelloni Verde, spinach tortelloni was fresh and light, maybe a little too light and healthy for my personal taste! I probably would have preferred a richer sauce or a little more cheese, but that's really just personal preference rather than a complaint about the dish. We also ordered the Pasta Al Frutti di Mare. The sauce tasted fresh and flavorful, and the seafood was cooked very well. Unfortunately, the mussels were the one exception, as they didn't taste fresh. We finished everything else on the plate but left the mussels. When the owner asked about our meal and we mentioned it, he seemed genuinely surprised and concerned. My feeling is that this was probably more of a purveyor issue than something the restaurant did wrong, but unfortunately, it was the one thing that kept the meal from being five stars for me. We finished with tiramisu and two cappuccinos, and both were well made and delicious, the perfect way to end the meal. Despite the issue with the mussels, we really enjoyed our lunch. Between the food, comfortable atmosphere, and genuinely warm service, this is definitely a restaurant I'll be returning to.

    Photos
    Radici
    Radici - Garganelli with Veal Ragu

    Garganelli with Veal Ragu

    Radici - Tiramisu and cappuccinos

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    Tiramisu and cappuccinos

    Pizza Classica - Fried Zucchini

    Pizza Classica

    3.9(559 reviews)
    2.2 miForest Hills
    $$

    This place is practically next door to one of the Retro Fitness areas I go to so I was…read morecontemplating going to this place, eventually I did so on a day when I had to get a physical checkup so I basically came to the place on an empty stomach. I felt slightly intimidated from the look of the place on the outside because it would seem like a middle class to upper class Restaurant but inside, it does look very nice but the setting is very much casual for its basically an upscale Pizzeria. However I didn't have pizza in mind, I went for something bigger and that would be the Chicken Parmigiana along with Root Beer which tallied up to $32 so not too bad. I contemplated about getting Dessert but I ultimately forgone it, which was a good decision in the long run because the chicken parm order was surprisingly hefty. I've gotten used to smaller portions being served in restaurants nowadays and I was expecting I'm gonna be hungry later eventually, but I sure was proven wrong. That meal filled me up proper, a little too proper because I felt absolutely stuffed after eating it all. I'm not one to complain about a good problem. Sure I felt uncomfortable, bloated and sluggish after eating that meal but I will take that any day in the week over feeling unsatisfied and unfulfilled because if you're gonna spend $30+ on a meal, you SHOULD get your money's worth and that was a meal I could very well split with two and felt very fine with that. So props to PC for a gut busting meal, for the price I paid for lunch, I should feel like I'm going to spontaneously combust, better that than still feeling empty. That was an amazing meal that I'm STILL feeling the effects of as I write this review going on 8 PM on the same day I ate there at 12:30 PM. The vibe is also solid too, the workers are friendly and service was pretty swift. Took less than 6 minutes for my meal to find my table.

    This was my second time at this spot and I have to say I was underwhelmed again. The food is just…read morefine. My partner's lamb ragu felt more like a lamb stew with over-seasoned lamb. The chicken parm was okay; but the side of pasta wasn't great. The sauce tasted so sweet. The spicy calamari was pretty good. The pork chop was very over sauced and filled with dried cranberries which I found a bit odd. The restaurant itself was very busy. The ambiance was bustling. The service was not solid. My niece waited about 15 mins into us all getting our food for her slice of pizza to arrive. It was so hard to grab our servers attention. All in all the food is okay. But this wasn't the best experience.

    Photos
    Pizza Classica - My general seating area

    My general seating area

    Pizza Classica - Penne

    Penne

    Pizza Classica - Chicken Parm

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    Chicken Parm

    Dee's Wood Fired Pizza & Kitchen

    Dee's Wood Fired Pizza & Kitchen

    3.8(660 reviews)
    2.8 miForest Hills
    $$$

    Haven't been to Dee's in well over 15 years, and recently saw online that they renovated. The place…read moredefinitely looks great and the food is even better than I remembered. You can tell their pasta is homemade, and there's a good selection of different choices for apps, main entrees, and dessert. We got the whipped ricotta honey crostini, pork Milanese and seafood bucatini. Was all delicious. And the olive oil cake is definitely authentic. A BIG SHOUT OUT to our server Nicole. Super friendly, attentive, and gave good recs. We'll definitely be coming back again and again.

    So I came back to celebrate my son and sisters birthday as a party of 10 with my family. Since my…read morelast review I've actually come back multiple times to celebrate my son's, friend's and my birthdays as well as had regular dinners. Most of the time it's been a good experience. But this time I came as a much larger party and won't be back, at least not with a large party. Overall the food at this dinner was pretty good and waitress and servers were great. But, I was however extremely disappointed that I had a reservation and had to wait outside with my party (2 were seniors) for 25 minutes bc our table wasn't ready. My sister and parents got there 15 minutes early. The hostess told my sister when she got there it would be 10-15 minutes bc they were "getting our table ready". Understandable, my sister did arrive early. Fine. After about 15 minutes or longer, bc it was already passed our reservation time, I go in and ask the hostess about the table, who rather pointedly was like ummm, I already told another person in your party that we are getting your table ready. I was like oh ok. And she then says it will probably be another 10-15 minutes bc we are still setting up the table. I thought to myself, it takes 20- 30 minutes to set up a table and we aren't in a private room or anything? Mind you she wasn't apologetic at all and a little curt. But after this exchange it just dampened the mood for me. At the next 15 minute mark I asked (3rd time) and a different male host finally tells us it was bc there was another large table who was sitting for a really long time (his words) and wasn't getting up although they paid 20 minutes ago AND he couldn't tell us when the table would be ready. I'm thinking, so you can't politely tell the table that they had another reservation that's been waiting even after they already paid 20 minutes ago? Fine, whatever, but you know how many restaurants I've been to where they have done that to my party when another reservation arrived? We finally get to our table after waiting a little while longer and it was extremely cramped, uncomfortable and we were all squished in. I was so embarrassed that I picked this restaurant with my parents (bc they can be picky) and family for such a special occasion and overall it was so underwhelming, everyone in my party was a little annoyed bc of either the waiting, the exchange, and/or the tight/cramped table. Honestly, the attitude/tone I felt this evening, which I'm sure was unintentional (or at least I hope) was that they just didn't give a sh*t about us (again aside from our waitress and servers). How sad for our party I guess. Would I come back though? Maybe, but I've had varying experiences here over the last 10+ years and not always consistent. I'd give other restaurants in the neighborhood (and there are plenty) a shot first before dining here again. I live in the neighborhood and enjoy their food and most of the service most of the time but I would never come with a large party for a special evening after tonight.

    Photos
    Dee's Wood Fired Pizza & Kitchen
    Dee's Wood Fired Pizza & Kitchen
    Dee's Wood Fired Pizza & Kitchen - Beautiful space for an event

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    Beautiful space for an event

    Tuscan Hills - Tartufina Pizza

    Tuscan Hills

    3.8(589 reviews)
    3.2 miForest Hills
    $$

    This is probably my third time here since moving to the area…read more I love how rustic this place feels. Service is always on point. The owner or manager always check on the tables. Food wise, how can you go wrong with great ingredients and good classic cooking? I was eating kosher for passover this time. I had the Branzino al forno. A whole grilled fish with potatoes and salad. It was incredible. Perfectly charred, meaty and delicious. The fish was so flavorful. The salad with the lemon on it was the perfect accompaniment. Will definitely get this again. I have also tried pasta here in the past. So good, you can tell its homemade. Salads are large and always good. Everyone should try this place.

    Delicious meal with good service. We had a group of five with a child. We started with an arugula…read moreand beans salad (Pecorino e Fagioli) as well as baked clams. Both were well prepared. For entrees we had some specials- pappardelle al guanciale and asparagus, fettuccine with shrimp and pesto, seafood stew (cacciucco for one), gnocchi with spicy sausage (Boscaiola), and a risotto ai fruitti di mare. I ate the pappardelle and tasted the others. Next time I'm getting the gnocchi which was nice and light - the way I like my gnocchi. We ended with tartufo. It was on the small side compared to other restaurants. It was our first time trying Tuscan Hills. We will be back.

    Photos
    Tuscan Hills - Inside

    Inside

    Tuscan Hills - Burrata

    Burrata

    Tuscan Hills - Italian Estiva Salad $13.95

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    Italian Estiva Salad $13.95

    Nick's Pizza - Forest Hills - Large pie: 1/2 plain/1/2 mushrooms

    Nick's Pizza - Forest Hills

    4.0(1k reviews)
    3.1 miForest Hills
    $$

    Hey friends! I was in NY for work and of course the first thing I wanted was authentic pizza haha!…read more This brick and mortar Italian spot was such a great find! It's quaint and intimate, it transports you to Italy. We ordered a meatball margherita pizza. We ordered a medium to have extra for dinner later, there were NO slices left. We didn't expect it be so delicious! The ingredients tasted fresh and housemade. The crust had the perfect crunch! It was truly a delight. +Customer service was great! +Prices are NY prices haha +Street parking in front of +Indoor seating only I hope you enjoy!

    I finally tried Nick's Pizza for the first time and I must say that I am hooked. The restaurant was…read morepacked when we arrived on a Friday night, but thankfully did not have to wait as we didn't need a booth. We ordered a large pie with pepperoni and a calzone with sausage. Both items came out together like we asked and was far too much food for two. My first bite of the pizza was hot, crunchy, and delicious. I love fresh oven pizzas with a crispy bottom crust. The chefs did an amazing job cooking it just right. I also loved the fresh mozzarella cheese and fresh basil. It really elevated the pizza to another level. The crust was great all around with a slight oven char. Lastly the calzone took me by surprise as it had no sauce and was filled with ricotta cheese as opposed to mozzarella. It came with a small cup of hot marinara sauce for dipping/pouring. It was definitely an interesting calzone but don't think it was worth the price. Overall, I really enjoyed my experience and Nick's and would highly recommend it. I do wish the pricing was a bit more fair when it came to full vs half pie toppings as well as the calzone.

    Photos
    Nick's Pizza - Forest Hills - Another interior of Nick's Pizza

    Another interior of Nick's Pizza

    Nick's Pizza - Forest Hills - Half and half pie

    Half and half pie

    Nick's Pizza - Forest Hills - Margherita with meatball

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    Margherita with meatball

    Rustico Taverna - italian - Updated September 2026

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