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The best spaghetti in the city

Linda Perney

July 10, 2006

Whos' got the best spaghetti in New York City?

Is there a soul who doesn't weaken at mention of the word: 'spaghetti'? Whether you're talking silky carbonara or rustic puttanesca, spaghetti with cream and mushrooms or spaghetti the way you loved it at seven--with meatballs and red sauce, here are amNew York's choices for best in show. For readers' picks, click here.

Ferdinando's. This old-fashioned little place just off the Brooklyn waterfront is as authentic as it gets. The spaghetti con sarde, loaded with fennel and pignolis, is a treat. But if you want to stick with the basics, there's also a good bolognese.($13; 151 Union Street, Brooklyn; 718-855-1545)

Frank. The place is always crowded, and since there aren't any reservations, there will be a wait. Despite its sometimes-frantic sensibility, there's a certain charm, traceable, probably, to the scent of the food emanating from the kitchen and the sight of so many satisfied patrons at the tables. What to order? There's the spaghetti with anchovies. And there's what the menu calls Grandma Carmela's meat and tomato gravy, and we call just perfect. ($13.95 for the spaghetti with anchovies, $10.95 for the red sauce; 88 Second Avenue; 212-420-0202)

Crispo. Mellow lighting, comfy banquettes (but tightly spaced tables), rustic brick walls, a hip clientele - and a wait list as long as your arm if you show up without a reservation. All are the hallmarks of this trattoria that straddles the boundary between 14th Street kitsch and Chelsea haute. Service is friendly, and the place is pleasant, as long as you don't mind the crowds. If you do, take a seat out in the garden. The food? It's all good, but the absolutely very best is the spaghetti carbonara. ($18.50; 240 West 14th Street; 212-229-1818)

Bivio. Younger partner to Bottino in Chelsea, Bivio has been since its opening, a much-loved addition to the landscape. A casual space with white-clothed tables and the day's menu scrawled on a blackboard, it serves a predictable enough mix of main courses: steak and fish in various guises. The real thing to order, though, is the fettuccine with porcini mushrooms. ($18; 637 Hudson Street; 212-206-0601)

Da Silvano. It draws media celebs by the passel, and there's a good reason. The food is superb, and if you're looking for spaghetti, the puttanesca is excellent. The sidewalk tables -- with plenty of space between you and the traffic -- are the right choice, but they're usually the first ones to go. ($19; 212-982-2343; 260 Sixth Avenue)

Beppe. The faux Tuscan farmhouse vibe can get a little old. But that's a quibble. The service here is great, the place is friendly, and the Norcino, or "butcher's spaghetti" is a revelation, with plenty of garlic and rosemary, tomatoes and crumbled-up house-made sausages. ($18; 45 East 22nd Street; 212-982-8422)

Al di La. Park Slope's favorite trattoria is worth every single rave it gets. Only one thing would make it perfect: being able to reserve a table. Be that as it may, get there early to snag a seat, and hope the spaghetti with clams, garlic and red chili is on the menu. ($16.50; 248 Fifth Avenue, Brooklyn; 718 636-8888)

Dominick's linguini with shrimp and calamari, tomatoes and garlic is so good you can't stop eating it. But if you don't like seafood, you can get the spaghetti with old-fashioned red sauce. All you have to do is ask. (Seafood linguini, $16; 2335 Arthur Avenue, The Bronx; 718-733-2807)

Manducati's. Queens' bastion of fine Italian home cooking serves up plates of spaghetti with meatballs so good they make it worth the trip on the 7 train. You don't want meatballs, they'll fix your spaghetti just about any way you want it. ($16; 13-27 Jackson Avenue, Astoria; 718-729-4602)