Celestino

SO upset that they are closed. Amazing fresh pasta and a delightful atmosphere. Warm, inviting, knowledgeable staff. I hope this gets back to the owners, cause we miss you in the neighborhood.

I am so glad I finally made it to Celestino, it will definitely be one of my go to places when I want a good meal and I am too busy or lazy to cook it myself. Their whole sea bass entrée was out of this world, I ate every last red pepper on my plate. They have mastered the art of infusing flavor into their dishes. They have a decent wine selection and you cannot beat the cool ambiance, décor and music.

Prices were reasonable, but if you go definitely order fish and wine.
Not what I hoped. My wife’s fish was exceptional. I had chicken that was pretty bland. Also had the meatball app, the sauce was amazing, but the meet balls weren’t that far off of what you’d expect at Ikea. Service was good, and the space is very cool, but it was empty when we went.
I ordered the «Celestino» cocktail without paying much attention to the ingredients. It was blue and tasted like something my date might order during a special night out in college at bubba gumps. All in all not awesome. If you have the option, definitely go to Saraghina. That place is truly special. Upside though, they deliver for free. In which case they are a good alternative to Indian when on your couch in your pajamas and want to mix it up a bit.

Went to Celestino for the first time last night and me and my boo had a really nice time. We had the baked clams, a carafe of Pinot Grigio, and the fish of the day cooked whole. The prices are spot on and the food is not perfect but is very very yummy! Maybe if it was a bit more saucy, I think it would have been better.

When it comes to gentrification, you have to take the good with the bad. Celestino is absolutely in the former category, and I send a special shout out to the Gentrification Gods once again for bringing the likes of this seafood gem to my backyard. To start, the restaurant is quiet, neighborly, and pleasurably low key. The waitstaff is knowledgeable about the menu and anything but aloof. In fact, chatting with our waiter took me back to my Dawson’s Creek obsession, as I can completely imagine Pacey (with his adorable smile and pithy wit) working here.
We ordered the special — which I believe was sea bass, though all I really remember is being absolutely pleased with my meal. I left with a confounded sense of satisfaction and surprise — as I hadn’t previously imagined such a delicious meal could be a stone’s throw away from my door!
As always, I’m on the fence about whether or not I want to promote such a hidden jewel to the Unilocal masses as i don’t like the idea of popularity changing the intimate ambiance that is the current state of Celestino. However, I suppose with a menu this good, prices this right, and service so satisfying, I wouldn’t be doing my Unilocal duty if I didn’t share its greatness…

I just moved to the neighborhood and everyone has recommended Celestino. Tonight I gave it a go and I’m supremely satisfied! Every part of my meal was perfect and delicious. I’ll be eating here A LOT.

There are some hidden gems in this part of Bed Stuy, Celestino among them. I came here for dinner when there was a wait at near by Saraghina had a long wait. The restaurant felt like a sea shack that was transported to Brooklyn, with knick-​knacks and fish mounted on the walls. The dining room was cozy but not packed on the Friday night we dined here. I had the gnocchi which came in a thick and decadent cream sauce. The gnocchi was spinach flavored and perfectly chewy. I also had the house red, which was quiet good. Service was top-​notch, and they weren’t pushy to rush us out after we had finished eating but were still enjoying drinks. I wish I had tried a seafood dish, but now I have a reason to go back.

Would it be weird to say that I like the feel to this place? I felt transported to a small fishing town and it’s local eatery. Very rustic, very beautiful. I was fascinated by the objects hanging from the ceiling: fishing nets, lobster traps, buoys.
We went for dinner earlier in the fall. The place is not very big and the tables are very close together. The couple next to me were on a date and the guy talked non-​stop. I was so drawn into the awful one-​sided conversation that at one point I wanted to turn to the girl and say «he’s not the one».
In addition to this distracting conversation I also thought the waiter was a bit cold. No smiles, he listed the offerings and that was that, but he was attentive. We started with the calamari. I was not a a huge fan. For dinner I got the much talked about ink pasta dish. I was not disappointed. The sauce was rich, the pasta perfectly cooked, and the shrimp was fresh. Hubby got the fish and chips. It was your standard fish and chips and he enjoyed it.
Overall a good meal in a cute spot and the price was definitely right. Glad it’s in the neighborhood and will definitely go back.

We went here for brunch by happenstance. We were walking to Saraghina, which Unilocal indicated was the closest, open brunch spot. Turns out this place was open despite the Unilocal hours, which are wrong.
Anyway, two of us had eggs Norwegian: Salmon on white toast, poached eggs, and Hollandaise sauce. Out of this world. Home fries were something to write home about and the salad was fresh and tangy as well.
The coffee was outstanding. I ordered iced and then got hot just to try it both ways. Simply smashing.
A must if you’re in the neighborhood and looking for a great brunch. Booze was limited to mimosas that were 8USDs so I passed, but that’s the scoop. Chex it.

Love love LOVE this place ! Dim lights, chill music and great food! Best combination ever. I love the fact that all the waiters are older men. Whenever I come here I always get the sautéed salmon with a side of pasta. TO GOOD. And they expanded there menu! This place is great … And it’s BYOB!

My favorite place!

Yes! They’re still open! Only for Brunch. Had a great experience! Food was outstanding!

Another great meal at Celestino’s! I was there with my family Saturday night and had a beet salad with arugula, goat cheese and oranges. My husband had the same, and because we’d been traveling and our dining clock was off, we split an entrée, one of the specials, trout with potatoes and spinach. The salad was fresh and tasty, the trout was tender and delicious.
We go here a lot and I’m finally getting around to writing a review. The service is always friendly and attentive without being overbearing. For kids, they offer very affordable pasta with butter or pasta with tomato sauce. (The owner, who’s Italian, lives here in Bed-​Stuy and has two kids of his own, so he knows how to keep children happy.) Other dishes that I’ve loved are the lobster ravioli and the kale salad. We always get a half carafe of the Trebbiano white wine — it’s crisp and delicious and reasonably priced.
I think Celestino’s is the perfect mix of eclectic décor, sophisticated menu, and friendly service. It’s really a labor of love on the part of the owner and manager and it shows. If you don’t like seafood, you might find that you don’t have a whole lot of choices for entrees, but I’ve never had a dish here that I didn’t like.

First off, I love small businesses, and Celestino’s the perfect example why. Great food, made with amazing flavors & patients… I promise you’ll love it. Wonderful things will be happening to your taste buds when you eat there… It’s such a great place with really nice employees and the ambience is very different. It’s a cute little spot w/​minimal noise & congestion (no 30 min waits ;-)), & did I mention the food is great, lol. Just give it a chance & check it out. P. S. they don’t take cards so remember to bring cash if you do decide to check them out.

This place is amazing. Food is well seasoned. The atmosphere is great. So glad its only a few feet from me. Definitely going back

One of the best meals I’ve had in a long time and just a short walk away from home. I took my aunt and uncle who were in town and had never been to Brooklyn. While we were looking at our menus… everything arriving on the table next to us looked FANTASTIC and completely homemade!
I had the sea bass – not sure of the MP, but it was the special fish for the night. Man! Garlic, peppers, and onions inside of a whole fish… I love fish even more! I also had the beet salad:) For dessert, apple cake with icecream and the chef was kind enough to bring out homemade lemon sorbet as a special treat… one word: Delicious. I will be back for sure, although my bank account may suffer!

This place is awesome. I came one Sunday evening with my brother and his girlfriend expecting good pasta and seafood and left having experienced a great time, great food, great service and great music. When we arrived I was excited to see that they offered outdoor dining options. Bonus! We excitedly set there while indulging in what sounded like live jazz from the bar around the corner.
The waiter was super attentive without being overwhelming and was certain to keep our glasses filled with water and to deliver our carafe of wine immediately. All was good as we devoured our mussels and clam appetizers until dusk hit and the mosquitoes came out to feast. I get it, it’s nature, but you don’t have citronella or anything else to counter this attack? I was a bit disappointed to learn that was the case. We even tried to go to the bodega to purchase bug spray to no avail. Oh well, this gave me reason to shift indoors.
I’m so happy that I made the shift. For 1, I had 10 bites by this time and 2 the inside was filled with such cute rustic character that I would have easily missed while sitting outside. Dimly lit with candles for the perfect amount of lighting too with great background music to match it. Very nice for a date.
Everything was delicious: mussels, oysters, cuttlefish, but the true standout of the night was the spinach tagliolini. Amazing! The waiters were great and when I found my self loving one of the songs playing, the waiter took it upon himself to find the name and jot it down for me. You can’t make this stuff up kids. Be sure to travel with cash as they don’t accept cards here at all and I have no idea of where the closest ATM is– maybe the bodega?
I want to go back now. Yum!

Went here last week for a wine tasting/​pairing event presented by Bed-​Vyne Wine Shop. Considering my distaste for Saraghina, I actually like Celestino — despite my being unable to eat 90% of the menu since it’s a seafood spot and I’m a veggie. Nonetheless, the service is good enough (after 1 visit) that I cannot complain and the one dish I had, the Kale Salad was really good. I did ask the waiter to leave off the anchovies, yet it still came with them, and I patiently ate bread and waited while my order was re-​processed. Coulda been worse, I could’ve been a diner on ‘Hell’s Kitchen’.
Yeah, the prices are a bit steep, but if you like oysters they have great affordable selections. My homegirl got that and another dish (another daily special) that looked — and reportedly tasted — really good. The lobster ravioli looked fantastic but they were out of that — actually the diners next to us got the last order.
And oh yeah, the seating can be tight. Still, the ambiance is nice. My only negative is this ‘cash only’ nonsense. It’s very annoying and I hate going to suspect ATM’s to get money. Still, if you’re a NY’er you should always check in advance so I take the ‘l’ on that. All in all, it’s definitely worth the visit there.

I am in trouble with this restaurant being 1 block away from me. I tried it out for the first time last night and I want to go back again tonight!
Really cute sea themed interior with romantic dim lighting. When you walk in, you see the chef preparing the seafood and cooking up a storm. Great place for a date night or catch up between friends. CASH ONLY as well – all their menus reiterate it on the bottom, so you don’t forget. But if you don’t have cash there are plenty of delis with ATMs.
The prices are $ 13-​$ 22. Their specials are on the higher end. Here’s what I ordered and what you should definitely try too! The waiters refill the bread before you completely empty out! (That deserved a star on its own!)
Appetizer Tuna Special $ 13: A plate ladled with thinly sliced tuna topped with red peppers, orange slices and zest, along with parsley. YUM YUM YUM
Entrée Whiting Special $ 21: This plate came with 6 big slices of fish topped with parsley, basil, orange slices and zest, along with salty olives. Eat this with their bread for an explosion of flavors in your mouth!
Small Mussels $ 13: The small is big enough to share! It was a lot more mussels than I expected. Between my girlfriend and I, it was the pretty big. For two guys who chow down a bunch, maybe opt for the large size ($ 17) The broth was so great that we used 2 baskets of bread to soak it all up.
Brownie Nutella Ice Cream Special $ 8: This is the best brownie dessert I’ve had. It’s pretty much a brownie sandwich with nutella in the middle. The brownies are undercooked by 30 seconds which makes them perfectly moist and gooey.
I want to go again. Sadly, Pay Day is tomorrow. Oh yea, and it’s pretty much older hipsters coming in from Williamsburg that chow down here. Ignore them for a much more pleasant evening. Other than that, Happy Eating!

Celestino, you precious gem! (Clearly, I’m besotted with this restaurant)
I had a wonderful dinner here last weekend. Took a quick car from Williamsburg and brought along a bottle of wine, thinking it was BYOB. Unilocalers, Celestino now has its license, but the waiter was kind enough to accommodate us.
The place is very rustically furnished. You could almost smell the sea salt from the adornments. It’s not overdone or too elaborate. I loved the fish netting and lighting. Two of the waiters had a red cap on a la The Life Aquatic (very sweet).
I ordered the kale salad with anchovies and the sardines. I think I was craving salt looking back on my two choices, but both were well presented and delicious. My friend ordered the codfish mantecato, which I definitely recommend. So yummy.
Please please please hold out for their apple pie — it’s more like a cake, but amazing! My friend kept stealing bites from it — so you know it was good ;)
Near the front of the restaurant was a tiny area that appeared to be a bar. I’d like to go back and have a pre-​dinner drink there and order the market fish, which alas, was sold out when I got there.