I've been a frequent customer of Vesta since it first opened. The food and service were always top notch, but last night, the service was herendous! My sister had set up a birthday dinner for me with some friends, and our entrees took about an hour plus, while our appetizers came out right away. Each time I asked the server when the food would be ready, he seemed annoyed and just said that it was coming. NO explanation, NO apology. By the time the food arrived, we were no longer interested. One party guest had to leave, and my pizza was cold. I decided to call the restaurant today and express my discontent. The owner was not accommodating whatsoever. He said he's sorry I'm disappointed, but the food is made to order, and they assumed that another order was going to be placed when two friends joined later for a drink. I told the owner the waiter should have explained that when I asked him the third time where our food was. To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. I've been to plenty of good restaurants all over New York City, and I've never experienced such lack of care toward a customer. Perhaps it's not the right restaurant for groups. In either case, I will never be returning to VESTA. read more

My cousins and I came by for a nice italian dinner. It was our first time and the service was great! We ordered the thin crust margherita pizza, it was crispy and super yummy I'll definitely be back for it. I always get my pizzas with a side of crushed peppers. I had the steamed mussels and Spaghetti Vongole, which came with clams. The bread they serve at the start is soft and buttery. The steamed mussels broth was a delicious white wine broth, my favorite. The spaghetti was a little salty, but great combo with the Parmesan cheese on top. Overall, this place is a gem for Italian food- for date night or with fam. read more

Vesta - Steamed Mussels, Spaghetti alle Vongole, Margherita Pizze - Italian Near Me - Astoria, New York

My girlfriend loves Sunday brunch. Is that a girl thing or a New Yorker thing? I've noticed that brunch is kind of a big deal around NYC or at least there seems to be a greater emphasis on it than other cities I've been to. We were thinking of places to go for brunch, someplace new maybe, but eventually, we settled on Vesta because we both loved it so much on our first visit. I again ordered the Hangover PIzza, which was just as good as it was before-better, I think because the yolks were still soft and a great overflow of yolk all over bites of thin crust, tomato sauce, pancetta and sausage. The gf was here after our first visit and headed right for the Warm Bankie, which was a polenta dish with eggs, and lots of veggies. We also split the baby Jesus cake which was all right, not as good as ballyhooed but still all right, a light cinnamon touch with a slightly caramelized flavor. However, the warm service and terrific entrees as well as it being a consensus between myself and the lady still gives it five stars. read more

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Cute little Italian restaurant in Astoria. My cousin's friend knows one of the bartender's here and he hooked us up with some freebie appetizer. It was the arancino risotto which is a fried risotto ball stuffed with veal, tomato & sheeps milk ricotta. It was delicious! We , as a group, had the following: - Margherita pizza which was good but nothing really special. I heard the hangover pizza is to die for. - Lasagna three-meat ragu (Sunday Dinner Style) was super rich and flavorful. - Pan Roasted Salmon preserved lemon sauce, raisins, charred green & purple kale: This was AWESOME! The salmon was cooked perfectly. Crispy on the outside and super moist on the inside. They also had the best sauce to go with it. As for desserts, I've never been a huge chocolate fan. I can eat it but I never crave it. But after having the freshly baked double chocolate chips cookie dessert here, I am now a true convert. It comes with dolce de leche ice cream with pistachhio nuts over the freshly baked double chocolate cookies. It's absolutely the best dessert I've ever had! Almost brought tears to my eyes. This is their new dessert offering so remember to order this! We also had the Baby jesus which is a spice cake with homemade cream (super fluffy). I was so in love with the other dessert that I didn't pay much attention to this one. It's good but the other dessert is awesome! The restaurant has great service and a cute decor. They support the local artists by displaying their work on the walls inside and outside the restaurant. They also play very good music. They played the Snow Patrol and Postal Service cd all throughout dinner. Oh and they have a great wine selection. Waitstaff was super attentive and always checked up on us. Remember to stop by here if you're in the hood! read more

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I had heard excellent things about Vesta before visiting for brunch. Considering the fact that it's not SUPER convenient to get to from the subway (at least not in my opinion... I drove *cough cough*), the overwhelming love that it gets from diners really speaks highly for its popularity. For one thing, their Bloody Marys are absolutely perfect. I've had bad ones in my day and this is one of the best. It really is the perfect compliment to any of their brunch options. We shared the Warm Bankie, an incredible display of fried eggs on top of warm, silky polenta, mushrooms, and asparagus with a hint of truffle oil. It's something I must create in my own kitchen, stat. We also went splitsies on the hangover pizza, a really delicious and protein-rich option. Every aspect of our meal was right on. I must add Vesta to my list of future Astoria dinners... I'm sure it will not be disappointing :) read more

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Looks like a hole in the wall, especially since its not near the main 30th ave bars and restaurants, but the food and service are phenomenal. The waiter was very friendly and made excellent menu recommendations. We went with the orechiette with truffles and it was one of the best pastas I've ever had. Definitely would go back and highly recommend everyone to come. read more

Great neighborhood Italian. Excellent food, wines and friendly service I enjoyed their various pastas and the hors d'œuvre platters read more

This is our go to for birthdays. Cute romantic and great food. Sometimes the area isn't great but sit inside and it's perfect.

Based on the reviews we thought we were going to be wowed. Tried the hangover pizza and thought it was ok. The pics / visual looks better than it tastes. The pizza is very very thin. With ingredients made it too heavy so was very soggy / drippy. Outside crust end was a little burnt. My son enjoyed the burger Service was ok. They were nice but weren't friendly. Cute cozy rustic look and feel. read more

Vesta - Italian Near Me - Astoria, New York

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Got the meatballs, pizza margarita, rabbit pasta, mussels and corn. All delicious and the waiter was amazing. They also had a busser that was great. The mussels broth was delicious, the meatballs were a bit bready but the sauce was delicious, the side of corn was great, and at this point We had to take the pizza and pasta home. Outdoor dining is great, you are right by the avenue so it can get a bit loud- try to sit on the side street. read more

Difficult choice between a 3 or a 4. A quaint small place in Astoria queens. Has been around 10 years as a local favorite SERVICE - was spectacular our waiter was friendly and attentive MENU - basically a Sunday brunch menu with limited choices. FOOD - good overall but a plus was the hangover pizza. Crust was super thin and the egg on top was a real plus. The frittata was decent. Their side dish of potato cube fries were actually very good - not greasy at all. read more

Very Impressive! This is one of the best meals that I have had in quite some time, and I eat out nearly every night. All four of their by-the-glass house wines on tap were good and reasonably priced, and the food was well above average. It's a bit out of the way for me, but I will eagerly anticipate my next visit. One of my favorite places to eat. Their brunch pizza called the hangover pizza is so amazingly good that I get it every time I'm there. It's not on the main streets where a lot of the brunch places are which makes it even better. They're farm-to-table but they don't boast about it. In fact, there's a little placard in the back that tells you where they get their ingredients but it's never an in-your-face kind of thing. Love it here. The staff is super and the coffee is excellent. I have only been here for brunch, twice, and it has been a consistent pleaser. The preparation and food sourcing are excellent, and the result is a very satisfying food experience. The ambiance is tight knit, but not overly crowded on the weekends. Great service, cozy and the food is great. However the hours there open ain't the best and you would need to be Italian to appreciate this restaurant to its full extent as the menu is written in Italian only and the drinks are limited to wine. Super solid neighborhood restaurant. Quality ingredients are excellent, good wine selection and excellent service. read more

This place is great for date night or even to grab some good food with friends. Visited on a Saturday night and it was nice. Service was great , had different waiters come around at different points to bring or offer their services. We got the resling wine to drink and it was sweet and refreshing. Definitely recommend the aranchi ( Italian rice balls ). The free bread and olive oil was delicious. My lasagna was also amazing filled with plenty of meat and cheese. Kinda overwhelming to eat after a while but still delicious! I knocked off a star because the special pasta of the night which isn't on the menu was pretty boring. The menu is also limited (only one page ) but I am sure most of the plates are good. We also got free wine refills which was nice since each glass was $13 (little less than half the glass is filled for that price) . Overall would return read more

Vesta is a very conveniently located spot with great creative foods. I must say the drinks were the favorite part of my meal. i had the citrus mint tea which was very refreshing and had real mint in it. Afterwards i has the vesta punch which is a fruitier refreshing drink with just the right amount of alcohol. I came here with my bf, my sister and her bf as well and had a great meal. we had a number of items: salad, hangover pizza, smoked applewood bacon, steak sandwiches, and fries. i must highlight that the fries were addicting, excellent formula vesta! lol. the dessert was so phenomenal, i never had maple ice cream and it was soooo memorable. Love vesta, it's a healthy option that fulfills your cravings. read more

One of the best neighborhood wine bars/restaurant. Love the ambience, staff & food. Can't say much more.

Went here for my cousin's birthday dinner after bowling and love the vibe of this place. Very romantic yet relaxed enough for a dinner and wine with close friends. The meatballs were shared between my boyfriend and I. Soooo good! Shoulda had more, 3 meatballs for 2 people wasn't enough. I didn't want to share the last one loll. For dinner, he got the lasagna while I got the whole wheat penne. I'm not a big fan of lasagna usually because of ricotta but this one was way better than mine! My penne choked me half to death because it was so dry. No sauce to recover!! It was good but just incredibly dry. I'm not a fan of mussels but if you are, apparently the ones here were very good because my cousin kept shouting that every 5 seconds making my right ear ring! read more

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Service and food is excellent. I highly recommend coming to this neighborhood gem. I'm fortunate enough to live within walking distance. Get the mushroom pasta! It taste like a hug in your stomach (idk if that makes sense but just do yourself a favor and come prepared for a yum meal.) read more

Vesta is awesome. The wine list is eclectic and refined with interesting finds for every palate. The food was where it really shined though. The beef cheeks with charred broccoli was a triumph! The roasted chicken with mashed and jus was simple food perfected. The sea bass was equally well prepared and delicious. The decor is nicely done and the outside seating is spectacular at sunset on a warm day. The service was a little slow at first but really picked up when the first string took over. We got there during transition time so the shift change was happening. All in it was an excellent dining experience at a very good price point. I will frequent and recommend this establishment. read more

A very sweet, corner dinner spot. The interior is a cross between rustic and slightly crunchy (the menus are made of paper book report covers). As we sat here for dinner, it felt like we were not in Queens, much less NYC. Food was great: we had the linguine (mussels, saffron broth, pickled chilies, bread crumb, lemon) and the 14" thin crust margherita pizza ( tomato, basil, provolone & mozzarella). The pizza had the thinnest crust I've ever encountered; something I didn't mind at all, but different strokes. read more

Vesta - Italian Near Me - Astoria, New York

My favorite spot in Astoria. Staff is great, food is amazing, and the wine is even better. I try to come once a week!

My son has talked about this small Italian restaurant several times so my husband and I met him there for dinner. I had the fettuccini with clams, my husband had the mussels, and our son had the orricchetti (sp?)with wild mushrooms. We also split an order of roasted brussel sprouts. One dish was better than the next!! Every thing was really delicious. The staff was also extremely attentive and kind. Although the menu is small, every dish was made with thought and care. Yummy!!!! read more

Vesta - Fettuccini with clams - Italian Near Me - Astoria, New York

You will not find better authentic Italian food in the state of New Jersey! Unless maybe your Gramma from Italy makes it. If you don't know what to order: Try the Meatball appie, Burrata salad, pappardelle bolognase, & YESSS the chef's signature short ribs. Seriously though everything is wicked good here. read more

Living close by to this restaurant, I keep wanting to give this place a second chance but each time the experience is disappointing. I find the food too expensive for what it is and the pizza pretty bland. The portions are always too small. The wine is OK. The last time I went was definitely the deathblow, I am not going back ever. I went with my boyfriend and a friend during the winter. We asked to have a table in the back because it was absolutely freezing by the door. The manager was incredibly rude and unwilling to accommodate us. He refused by saying that all the other tables had been reserved. We stayed an hour or so and all the other tables remained empty. The manager could have definitely moved us, and when we told him so, he couldn't care less. I noticed the waiter was trying to make up for his manager's rudeness. But unfortunately it didn't make up for our bad experience. To top it off, the food was still overpriced and the portions way too small. No more comeback for me. read more

My girls and I were so happy with this place. The staff was friendly and on point. The food was very good. I had the will boar lasagna as well as two of my friends The other two had the orrechetti con fungi. No one had leftovers. The portions were reasonable and satisfying, the flavor kept eating until there wasn't anymore. We will definitely repeat as well as recommend to others. read more

I just pontificated for days on google. Suffice to say that this place is perfect. Service and food. Meatballs are To love for. Lasagne was awesome. Home made. Professionally perfect prep and authentic flavors in every direction. Go enjoy. Amazing really. read more

First of all it is so noisy you can't hear yourself think, let alone read the poor lackluster menu.... about 7 entrees, I am not counting the pizza here. Such slim pickings. Unfortunately I have a sister that has a penchant for taking us to places that are just hateful. This one, did not disappoint. The service was sooooo slow that by the time we got the water I wanted to leave. The wine list although extensive does not have any moscatos on their list or any real GOOD wine. And the rest of the (cheap) wines, are very expensive, Resiling Really? $$$? The only thing was the Champagne, which of course I didn't order due to the 'ambiance'. Ordered the plate that has mortadella basically (bologna) a few not interesting olives perhaps 5 and 2 jams, some goat cheese (manchego probably) and see through slices of capicola..but for the price and the size....NOT worth whatever they charged. The bread took forever to arrive. But it might as well never shown up, since it was hard. The young waiter was perfect for the restaurant, he totally belongs there since everything is SLOW. Most of the time he found himself a little nook by the bar and just stood there. My mother and sister ordered the 'special' lasagna, it didn't take a genius to realize that was smothered in an unnecessary heavy sauce. I had some sort of pasta with Manila clams, and I thought I needed an Epi pen, something was terribly wrong I couldn't stop coughing and I turned red, my throat closed, the whole nine yards. I pushed the plate away thinking I would colapse on top of it. And I have had Thai, Indian, New Mexico and Mexican chilis and nothing had ever created that reaction. But the pièce de résistance was the creepy bathroom with all the cat paintings. This is as Italian as I am French. read more

Pizza is awwweesome! And so are their other dinner items. I like the wine carafe sharing options x1000 read more

Had a fabulous day here. Really good food, good wine, cozy environment, and good customer service. I ordered Meat Balls for appetizer Creamy Lemon Orecchiette for pasta and Half roasted Chicken for entree menu. Everythjng was amazing. Im sure all of the foods are really good but you guys must order the Meat Balls for appetizer! The meat is so soft and juicy! Rich in flavor and it just melts in your mouth! They say that it is their signature menu afterall. It's totally worth getting it. I personally love lemon sauce pasta. This one was amazing! The scent and taste of the lemon wasn't too strong and it had just about right amount of cream sauce added into it! The best part was the brocolli added in there. It seemed like they boiled it before they used it to fry it. It felt so soft and amazing. As for the chicken, my friend ordered it and he killed it even before i got a chance to take a bite so cant rate it. But according to him, he said it was soooooooooooo delicous. So much that he ate it even before i took my fifth bite! Lol. I ordered Tempranillo for the wine. The beautiful lady serving us recommended this for me. I absolutely loved it. Was planning to have a glass only but ended up ordering the bottle and finishing it. Overall this place is amazing. Would definitely come again. read more

Vesta - Tempranillo is so good - Italian Near Me - Astoria, New York

My favorite restaurant in Queens. I normally come to here around 8 pm but today i took off from work early, so i came here early, around 5:30 pm. Why am i writing about time? Because it makes the experience a lot better than before. ( less crowd!! thats the reason!!!) Food was on point. No burnt or overcooked area appeared on pizza. Also lasagna was moist and cheesy (slightly crispy part was amazing) I love Vesta and today experience was one of the best experience i ever had here. read more

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Ugh, why is this place so far from me. Atmosphere: very small and quaint, but loud. Came on a Sunday at noonish and had a large party of nine without reservations. The restaurant workers made magic and accommodated us. It was much much appreciated. I'd recommend reservations though in the event they can't make magic happen. Food: hangover pizza. Super thin and crunchy crust, delicious bacon and sausage. Very very filling, and you'll most likely walk away with leftovers (I luckily was able to hand slices out to other people in our party). The spicy tomato sauce wasn't as spicy as I hoped, however. Alas, it was delicious and egg should always be put on pizza FYI. Oh, and whatever you do, save room for the baby Jesus cake. It's warm, moist, not too sweet, and quite buttery. Perfectly complemented by the ice cream. It was alllllllll delicious. I paired these two treats with a yummy cocktail (that was super inexpensive) and ended up paying about $34 with tax and tip. All very well worth it and tbh much cheaper than you would pay at some brunch place in Manhattan. I would go here again if I wasn't in New Jersey. Bring Vesta closer please! read more

Vesta - Hangover pizza goodness - Italian Near Me - Astoria, New York

Honestly my favorite restaurant in the neighborhood. Period. The menu is seasonal, but there are some staples tweaked per the ingredients available. The ambience is casual, but great for a date and a small gathering at the same time. We come here at least once or twice a month. Great wine selection too. Highly recommended. *def make a reso on weekend nights and brunch is often pretty busy (cause it's great). read more

We had been meaning to go here for quite sometime, but the location by 21st Street just seemed a bit too far down 30th Avenue (I live in the upper 40's off 30th), but we made our way for brunch on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. The service: Friendly and nice The brunch cocktails: Unique, reasonably priced and delicious The food: Soooo good! We tried the thin crust pizza and avocado toast with eggs. I can't wait to try it for dinner. read more

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I came here with my family for dinner, we actually found this place on yelp. We called to make sure they would be able to accommodate a party of 16, which they were able to do with short notice. The atmosphere is very relax and intimate. I think this place would be awesome for a date night (Valentine's day, you are welcome) We ordered so much food, that I could not keep track of everything. What I will say is that everything that we ordered was tasty, I know because I tried everything lol. The brussels sprout was awesome, and i would recommend getting them as a side. The gentleman that helped us JC was extremely nice, and patient, and his service alone deserve 5 stars. I will absolutely be back. read more

Vesta - Italian Near Me - Astoria, New York

I tried Vesta for a second time this weekend with a large group and had a great experience. I called on a Sunday morning at 11 am and they were easily able to accommodate a reservation for a party of nine at 11:45 am (which, of course, then turned into a party of 7 at noon). All was handled by the staff with grace. I decided that I really needed to try the hangover pizza (spicy tomato, provolone, potato, bacon, sausage & baked eggs) this time if I wanted to give Vesta a fair shot. My boyfriend and I actually split the dish along with a side of scrambled eggs, and it was plenty of food for the both of us. This was truly brunch served on a pizza crust, and it was delicious. I especially enjoyed the runny baked eggs, the smooooky sausage, and the super-thin, crispy crust. Other friends sitting nearby ordered the vegetable frittata, a bespoke omelette, and the eggs in purgatory. I heard really good things about the eggs in purgatory specifically, but everyone seemed to enjoy their food and the experience in general. We also had lots of the coffee, which I thought was absolutely excellent, and I also tried the Vesta Punch (lemonade, pineapple juice and prosecco) which sounded like it might be super sweet but was actually light and refreshing. read more

Love love love vesta! Such a cute homey little wine bar/ Italian spot. I've been here a few times and I'm never disappointed. The homemade brick oven pizza is to die for. Love how thin the crust is!! Also their lasagna is one of the best I've ever had.. be prepared to wait a little because it is made fresh.... but SO worth the wait. I also really love the different wines they have on tap it brings a unique little quirk to the place. One of my favorite Italian spots in Astoria! read more

We tried Vesta again last week after not having been there for at least two years maybe? It's pretty close to our apartment so we strolled over. It was busy - which surprised me, to be frank. The food at Vesta is good, but honestly not that special, and definitely over priced. We started with the buratta which was small - just barely enough for 2 people to enjoy. The pizza I got was good (Salsiccia), but nothing special and definitely not worth $18 (plus there were red pepper flakes all over it which wasn't in the description on the menu so I ended up literally scraping them off with my fork). My husband got the Ricotta Cavatelli - I didn't taste any ricotta. Also, it was unexpectedly SPICY! He didn't mind, but we planned to share and my hopes were dashed. Also, their pasta's are remarkably small portion sizes for the price point and that they aren't mind blowing. Good italian food is fairly easy to do and although Vesta's is good, it's UES Manhattan priced - for a quiet block, a trek from the train, in Astoria. Now I remembered by we hadn't been back in ages and this is why it surprised me that they were so packed on a Thursday night. I wish the folks who do Vesta would bring back Pachanga Patterson, which they did remarkably well and we visited nearly weekly. read more

Environment: 5/5 Employees: 5/5 Food: 5/5 Cost: 5/5 Accessibility: 2/5 Total: 22/25 Synopsis: I finally moved to Astoria because the aid of my friend/roommate! What a nice place to be, off of 30th ave! Everything is soooo, sooo convenient and to have amazing Italian food downstairs from your apartment is like heaven on Earth! Anyway, my roommate and I decide to eat here because 1) we did not want to cook 2) he was sad that I beat him 6-0 in tennis. :D The place is a wood finish, with amazing lighting, a good sight of wine everywhere, and a short, but great-tasting menu! Plus there were Memorial specials! The bang for your buck was the pizza and the pasta combination as it was right portion so to not make you feel over-filled! Do these combinations with a date, and you are set until the next meal! Employees: The man was simply dressed and approached us in a welcoming manner. even though we were all sweaty and nasty, we did not feel out-of-place. Or feel judged for working out and not showering before eating. Ooopsss!!! Food: Starter Bread and Olive Oil: It is not a lot that is given, but it certainly gets your gut moving in the right direction....! The bread was moist with every bite. It was easily taken apart and did not require your typical knife and hand, which ends terribly for the bread. What is the secret of the olive oil? I do say, it was salty, but it was just the right amount. One more speck would have ruined it, but I do not know... something else is in there that just made it...clenching good! 5/5 Margherita Pizza: Typically, I am not fan of this because of its simplicity and the fact that the kale pizza looked so much more better! However, for what it was it was really good. For some reason the tomato sauce just spoke to me, pleased me, and put a smile on my face. What is this!? 5/5 Veal Pasta: I know how veal is prepared, but I did not care! I am pretty sure the P.E.T.A. people would hang me for this. YUM! It is okay, I was a vegan for five years..so now I am making up for lost times LOL! In my mouth you go. And I love my roommate, "Isn't it like chicken." LOL! I guess..I would think more on the lines of pulled pork or something, but whatever. Delicious! Just delicious. Bye-bye calf! 5/5 Cost: For what we got, I was amazed as to how cheap it was. The pizza was $12 for a huge thin one and the pasta was relatively cheap as well. Not to mention it was a special! Moooooo! 5/5 Accessibility: The only thing that is difficult is getting here! It would take a train and a bus (if you did not want to walk 8 blocks). If you are in the area, I say go, go, go, go! However, if you are some place else and you want Italian, you may want to find something near you. Can you live without this? I would say, "Yes." read more

Vesta - Memorial special!!! Marg pizza and Veal pasta! Yum! - Italian Near Me - Astoria, New York

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Time to review a serious restaurant with delicious food and Vesta comes to mind. It is an out of the way establishment on 21 Street and 30th Ave in Astoria. Vesta's calling card is an Italian influence restaurant with farm to table food which is nicely decorated with local vendors for their artwork and interior construction. I have been here a few times with Wifey and each time we have had fabulous food, intriguing wines and wonderful service. I just dig a neighborhood restaurant that is part of the community. They do things a little different, which is always great with me. I like a little creativity, simple dishes done right and outrageous service when I go out for serious food. This is want makes a good meal outstanding. On our recent visit we started our meal with a "Potato & Pancetta Pizza with caramelized onions, apple & goat cheese @ $13". This Pizza had the texture and flavor that we take for granted on a regular basis. The caramelize onions were pureed and spread throughout the Pizza as the sauce. I thought it was a bean sauce, but was corrected when I asked the waiter. The crust was crispy and the ratio of ingredients had the balance of flavors. The Pizza was all good. Wifey had "Pappardelle with pancetta, ramps, shaved grana cheese & egg yolk @ $15" as her entree. All I can say it was OUTSTANDING. It took me years to appreciate al dente pasta and when I did; I fell in love. The Pappardelle was perfectly cooked and the flavors stood out with the texture of the pasta. The pancetta provided some nice flavor and it was well balanced with the grana cheese. Super delicious dish. I had a very simple dish, "Lasagna with three meat ragu (Sunday Dinner Style) @ $15". Every Lasagna dish I ever had, was so heavy that it stuck to my ribs. The Lasagna at Vesta was light and so delicious, that it just melted in my mouth. It was as good as it gets. Can you imagine Lasagna as a delicate dish? Nice, very nice. The three meat ragu was tasty and was not acidic at all. The lasa noodle layered with ragu and a top of parm cheese just exploded with all the deliciousness in my mouth. Like I said, very lite and with flavor. As we enjoyed this delicious meal, we shared a couple of bottles of red wines from Toscana. I tend to order wines from Italy by region rather than Vintage. I am a big fan of Italian Wines and found this region of Italy to be a winner. Dessert = Baby Jesus Cake = Order This = Delicious = Trust Me!!!!!!!!! Service was outrageously excellent. Our server did a great job. He was knowledgeable and very patient with us, since we were not ready to order a couple of times. He checked on us and let us chill at the end as we enjoyed our wine. I love the fact that you could walk down the street from your apartment and enjoy a great meal. The neighborhood restaurant is a staple of New York City and every borough has some gems. Here in Astoria we celebrate Vesta. If you just stop by for pizza or a three course meal at Vesta; you will experience wonderful food, delicious wine and outstanding service. Mangia & Buon Appetito! read more

If there's anything to be called a neighborhood gem, Vesta would fit the description perfectly. The two owners, Leo Sacco and Giuseppe Falco, both grew up in Astoria and founded Vesta as a reflection of their love for their hometown and for Italian fare. To this day, they continue to serve up a solid variety of bites in an intimate and cozy environment that's loved by locals and out-of-towners alike. It should come as little surprise that their restaurant is appropriately named after the Roman goddess of the hearth, home, and family; it's a testament to the values that started Vesta. On a snowy weekend evening, I made the slightly arduous journey from Manhattan into Astoria. After a brief trek through the snow-covered sidewalks, we were quick to enter the restaurant and were quickly seated. It's not a large venue by any means, but there's a fair number of tables and plenty of seating at the bar area in the back, all of which is complimented by a dim, candle-lit ambiance. As we'd arrived slightly earlier for dinner, it was still mostly empty, but within the next hour or so, the restaurant was almost completely filled up; make reservations (via their phone line) in advance, if possible. As for the actual dinner - We started off with their Slow Braised Meatballs and asked to make the Brussel Sprouts, which are typically served as a side, our second starter. The meatballs were some of the better I've tried; three tender, well-seasoned beef meatballs were cooked in a rich tomato sauce and topped with a sprinkling of grana and breadcrumbs. The shredded basil on top was a smart touch, adding a slight lift to each bite. As for the brussel sprouts, this dish had come highly recommended by friends, but I wasn't particularly impressed. They're lightly fried and served crisp, with a somewhat meager addition of parmesan on top; I found them under-seasoned, although the texture was a nice change of pace from the usual boiled or steamed preparations. We both opted for pastas as our main course, and I had to order the Parpardelle with Veal. It's one of their lighter pastas, as the parpardelle is tossed in olive oil with grana, chunks of tomatoes, and a pine nut gremolata. The pasta itself is cooked to just past al dente; chewy, firm, but still cooked through. There's plenty of texture from the sinewy veal, a slight acidity and zest from the tomotoes and gremolata, and despite the fact that it initially appears to be a small portion, it's a filling dish. His Orecchiette was the surprise of the evening, as it was baked with a generous amount of ricotta bechamel, and is one of the heavier, creamier pastas on the menu. There's a scattering of brocolli rabe throughout and the dish is topped off with breadcrumbs to give it some additional texture. While I held preference for my own pasta, it was a nice contrast to my parpardelle. Vesta delivers on what it promises; hearty, rustic Italian fare that seems like it was served out of your (or your friend's) Italian mother's kitchen. While it may not be the best Italian I've yet to try, there's no wonder that this restaurant is so beloved by the locals. read more

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THIS is a special little corner restaurant. Small, seasonal menu. We had a party of six and tried a broad range of food items, all of them were really delicious. read more