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    Via Vai

    3.8 (271 reviews)
    ModerateItalian, Pizza, Desserts
    Closed 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

    Order Via Vai Takeout or Delivery

    Via Vai Photos

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    VIA VAI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Intimate
    Classy
    Casual
    Moderate noise

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    Recommended Reviews - Via Vai

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    Squid ink pasta, asparagus and shrimp
    Allison L.

    An authentic Italian experience with a menu curated by a true Italian from Rome. This was some of the best pasta and pizza I've had, the pasta was so fresh, flavorful and perfectly al dente, highly recommend the squid ink and trying one of their specials, the second pasta we got was a tagliatelle with basil, tomatoes and pistachios. I loved the truffle arugula pizza, the dough was light and crispy and the porcini mushrooms and truffle compote were to die for! The place is quiet on weeknights and very busy on weekends. Make a reservation and take your date!

    Chianti Classico Lamole di lamole, 2017 (Toscana) Gnocchi Bolognese  Taglioni al Nero con Gamberi
    Brianna D.

    Best Italian restaurant in Astoria! Quality wine, bread, oil, apps, and main- feel like I'm in Italy! The waitress Stella is always warm, attentive, knowledgeable, and professional. Awesome ambiance and vibes. They recently put up adorable holiday decorations.

    Menu
    Vincent F.

    Came for dinner and it was a nice quaint place. We ordered the Margarita Pizza, Tagliatelle Al Branzino, and Tagliolini Al Nero Con Gamberi. The Margarita Pizza was a good appetizer. The tomato sauce was not too acidic and flavorful. The Tagliatelle Al Branzino consisted of housemade pasta, branzino, black olives, capers, cherry tomatoes, and basil. Tasted very light yet flavorful from the tomato and capers. The Tagliolini Al Nero con Gamberi consisted of house made black-ink pasta, shrimp, asparagus, mint, and pecorino romano. Tasted fresh, sea-salty, light. Shrimp was cooked perfectly. Overall: We would definitely come back here. Both dishes tasted equally delicious but in different ways.

    Menu
    Margaret S.

    What a cute little Italian spot right off 23rd Avenue! Now we know why they earned their Michelin star. We had heard so many good things about this spot and were finally able to try it ourselves. We came here on Thirsty Thursday for a nice glass of wine and pasta! Although we had a reservation for 630, we decided to sit at the bar since it looked so cozy and welcoming. We started off with a glass of wine, calamari and a salad. Then we shared a margherita pizza and a fettuccine bolognese. Everything was delicious! The wine was chilled to perfection and food was fresh and melted in our mouths. We definitely came at a good time because as our drinks were being served, large parties were coming in. We will be back for the holidays to enjoy their other delicious pizza and pasta dishes. See you soon Via Vai!

    Cool vibe walking in, very intimate
    Yiesha B.

    I really wanted to like this place. I didn't enjoy my wine selection or my meal but oh how I loved the calamari. It was light, flavorful and crisp! I would go back JUST for that. It was cooked perfectly! I was really excited because this place has homemade pasta but mine (which was colored with squid ink) was tough to eat. My aunt and coworker enjoyed their meals but I guess I didn't choose wisely. The vibe is chill and eclectic, we all enjoyed that along with the playlist. If you go there try two dishes: the short rib and shrimp carbonara. One cool this about this establishment was that my aunt left her credit card and they called her the next day to pick it up. She went back, ate there again and enjoyed another meal. That customer service alone gets 4 stars from me...

    JiHae L.

    I came here based off of eaters recommendation as it is one of the top eateries in the neighborhood. I was expecting good things and boy was I right. I walk to the front of the restaurant and I see all these signs stating that they're Michelin rated for many years. I had no idea about any of this and was impressed. Looked over the menu and there was so much to choose from starting with the appetizers. The Polpette which are beef meatballs is what I started with and chose the Pappardelle Con Angello as my main dish. Both were really good. I recommend their pasta dishes as I sampled another one. For their dessert, I had their Panna Cotta with cherry sauce on top. Panna Cotta is an Italian dessert of sweetened cream thickened with gelatin. Not only was their food good, but their service was impeccable too.

    Bread
    Dipali G.

    This spot is a nice upscale pasta spot in Astoria! Definitely a good date spot! Food: they have house made pasta which is really great and a few options that are imported! I ordered the cacio e Pepe which was good but just a bit hard! They also give bread, which was so delicious! I am glad that they don't have a separate brunch menu, and instead just have their lunch/ dinner menu! Ambience: I loved the design of this restaurant! It was beautiful, really clean and just gave off nice vibes! Service: waitress was amazing - she explained the menu and have good recommendations Price: if u just order a main, you can pay about $25-$30 Tip: they open at 2, not 1 on Sunday (on Google the times are wrong)

    bread and garlic & rosemary infused extra virgin olive oil
    Alessandra C.

    via vai...where to begin. i've been dining here since early 2018..seven years of via vai!!! The ambiance is extremely romantic, it's dimly lit, cozy, hard wood tables and gorgeous plates, it's decorated with italian masks from carnevale, is usually decorated for each holiday and has string lights throughout. you can watch the pizza chef make the pizza as the oven is near the dining area. The service, for me, has always been top notch. The staff is kind and attentive. However there is typically only 1, or 2 servers on the floor...please be patient and understanding, especially on nights that it's super busy. The owner and head chef, Antonio, has become like a friend to me with how many times i've frequented his restaurant. I came here on one of my first couple of dates with my long term boyfriend and we continue to choose this wonderful restaurant as our date night spot every time we're craving italian. There is a wide variety of wine, but no hard liquor. If you're not super educated on the wine there's always someone available to assist in the decision and guide you based on your preferences. As for the food...it is just outstanding. Antonio (again, chef and owner) comes in early each morning and makes the pasta fresh...house made pasta, you can't beat it. Everything is made with care and love and is just meticulously prepared. There are too many items that I love that I can't name them all, i've tasted the whole menu. You really can't go wrong. Pasta is always cooked perfectly, sauces have depth and rich flavors, the tomato sauce is otherworldly...i've never been disappointed here. But if you're dining here for the first time and happen upon this review, make sure you order the polpette, and the polpo as appetizers! Any of the pizza's will do. And as for pasta's you'll have to slowly try them all but id choose the pappardelle con agnello or the mezzi paccheri alla gricia, and don't forget to ask about the risotto of the day. Once it was made with scallops and it was just to die for. the desserts are also all made in house (everything is, minus the ingredients that are imported!) the tiramisu and the panna cotta are phenomenal!!! he once had this fresh fruit dessert with some sort of champagne jello that was out of this world, and one of my favorite pasta dishes was his handmade gnocchi with broccoli rabe and sausage, hope he brings those back this year!!! Antonio is a wonderful person and an equally as excellent chef and deserves nothing but praise for his dedication to his craft. Whenever i'm in the mood for italian, this is my go to place. Pro tip: pasta is never as good as it is when it's fresh and it's meant to be eaten right away. If you're ordering to go, keep that in mind. It's absolutely worth it to sit, relax and enjoy.

    Neil H.

    VIA VAI is one of those true hidden gems, most often never discussed when talking about the restaurant scene in Astoria, For they are a little-known Italian restaurant to those who live outside Queens. We had meant to come here for quite a while, but circumstances and timing never aligned. Finally, a week before Christmas, we reached VIA VAI. As you can see from the photos, the employees hung beautiful and festive Christmas ornaments around the restaurant, and it was like being in a winter wonderland! Now, what to order from the menu? Or main entrees included octopus and their special homemade ravioli. For dessrt we ordered tiramisu. Everything was delicious though quite expensive. Our hosts were accommodating and made recommendations, esp about the homemade pasta. We will be back!! An absolute must if you plan to visit Astoria!1

    Octopus
    Angie L.

    *4.5/5 Per my goal of making it thru the Queens Michelin Bib Gourmands, Via Vai was first on the list! Even though I rarely opt for Italian food (1: it's not cheap, and 2: I'm a messy eater and I feel like they would judge me), Via Vai was worth the visit. Sits in a cute lil section of Ditmars with vibey (date-night-esque??) decor to boot. Def make a rez bc the space fills up quick. They start you off with complimentary bread chunks and garlicky olive oil to dip. My friend and I ordered the octopus appetizer to share (~$24?), and it was quite flavorful altho very very small. Luckily I was half a glass of Lacrima de Morro ($13) in so I didn't have enough inhibitions to regret the spend. Not usually a red wine gal but this one wasn't bad. Was better than my friend's rosé ($15) at least. Ordered the Tagliatelle al branzino ($21), a dairy-less pasta with little white chunks of branzino, capers, and cherry tomatoes. Quite tasty. Polished off the whole dang plate. Pasta was perfectly al dente & the capers provided a nice sour note to the dish overall. All of this cost me $61 after tax/tip which is not great for an analyst budget but quite great for the value.

    TAGLIOLINI AL NERO CON GAMERI

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    3 months ago

    Food was amazing (homemade pasta!!) super friendly service, and such a cute and cozy place for a date night. Love this spot

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    1 year ago

    Delicious food and great service!! The atmosphere was pleasant. I definitely recommend this place.

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    3 years ago

    Fantastic service and food, the duck on a bed of hazelnut mashed potatoes was especially good

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    2 years ago

    Run to this place do not walk. Homey and cozy restaurant in Astoria. Great food and some fantastic red wine.

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    Page 1 of 7

    Ask the Community - Via Vai

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    4.6(633 reviews)
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    Location across from Elmhurst hospital can be chaotic and parking is tight, but the pizza here is…read moreimpossibly thin and crispy. Haven't had any pizza like this since Pizza Palace on Bayard Street by Columbus Park closed. Easy to eat half a pie by oneself. Crispy, thin crust, perfect amount of sauce and oil (about 2 drips per plain slice, not drowning, but reminds you that this is true NYC pizza), lightly cheesed, but still has a good stringy mozzarella pull. For a similar, but slightly thicker (100% yum factor) NYC slice, it's Manos in Ridgewood. For, the thinnest and crispiest plain slice in NYC, Louie's is the standard bearer. Parked in front, ordered a whole pie, ran inside, threw down some cash, waited outside for the fresh pie to bake. 10 minutes later the owner (possibly Louie hisself) delivers the fresh pie to my car outside and actually thanks me. True Twilight Zone stuff. I scarf a fresh, hot slice straight from the carton before stowing the balance back to Long Island for additional reheat confirmation. With all the political nonsense ongoing, thank Goodness that a righteous, NYC plain slice is still alive, well and residing in un-hipster, un-gentrified, un-apologetically friendly-neighborhood Spiderman Elmhurst. "Best NYC style pizza" is a term that is minimized and bandied about every time some new $60, limited-run, kraft pizza from Japan is the current darling. We submit that this is not the case here. May Louie's be here after all the LES, deep dish, 3 Michelin star bakers and pizza itamae have exhausted their day in the limelight - and leases. $20 all-in (until the hipster masses beat a path here to make Louie's their pizza crusade ) Thank you Louie for giving us working class masses the best, true, unlimited, unpretentious, no-lines, no soup Nazi, no upsell, satisfyingly NYC pizza a $20 can still buy. PS: please don't renovate or move as your pizzeria is a time-capsule whose prime ingredient is sincerity.

    On my way to the Met game I stopped by Louie's a solid neighborhood pizza slice shop…read more Conveniently located off the 7 train 82nd st stop. Busy, active and definitely for the community given the notes, decorations. I always wanted to stop by here for a slice after watching the owner and father's heroic effort protecting an Asian lady who was being robbed in front of their store. Slice was solid at $3. OK looking undercarriage but limited floop. Only knock is bottom had too much flour remaining. Solid neighborhood spot. People were getting pasta dishes too. Ample seating. Friendly staff.

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    Elmhurst Famous Pizza of Jackson Heights - Garlic knots

    Elmhurst Famous Pizza of Jackson Heights

    2.8(103 reviews)
    2.1 miJackson Heights
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    It's been almost 15yrs since I last visit this fine establishment. Childhood nostalgia hit when I…read moreentered and proudly show the place to my husband and friend. They had revamp the place and it looked nothing like my childhood but the taste was there (unless I put it on a pedestal). It's not your typical pizzeria. They specialize in 10" pan pizza with crispy crusts. They do not do slices... only whole pies. Food quality is still amazing! I remember as a child they had the paper wrapper that had coupons on it. My siblings and I would save all the paper coupons for free pie (collect 10 for 1 free pie). Not sure if they still do that. They used to also offer free balloons to all kids there. They had a huge helium tank and assorted color balloons that they would blow up on the spot for all kids. Very family-oriented/friendly local pizza spot. We order led my favorite pie: Onion & Pepper pie but added Pepperoni and garlic knots. It was soooo goood that I was super happy to come back for another taste. I hope the next visit won't be as long.

    One of my favorite pizza places in all of NYC. I have been eating at this location, as well as the…read moreother location for over 30 years. I only have changed my order maybe three times total over the years. It is one of the few restaurants myself and my family can all agree on. I wish parking was not an issue and it would be awesome if they had more locations spread out. I know that is a challenge for us, otherwise we would be ordering here every time I came home to visit. My absolute favorite pizza is the Indo-Pak. FYI, all the pizzas are individual sizes and measure about 12". The Indo-Pak has curry, garlic, onions, and jalapeños or cherry peppers-not sure which pepper but it gets hot after a couple of slices lol. Other favorites of mine are the garlic and just plain cheese. I usually finish most of my pie, with maybe a slice or two leftover. I am getting hungry while writing this because I miss it and it's that good. They have other items on the menu besides pizza but I have personally never ordered anything but pizza.

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    Via Vai - italian - Updated May 2026

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