Manducatis Rustica

I really hate to give a one star rating but I was severely disappointed with the pizza I ordered. I had read reviews that heralded this restaurant as one of the best pizza places in LIC and I was excited to try it. I ordered a Margherita pizza topped with spicy dry sausage and onion and my mouth was salivating at the thought of how amazing this pizza would taste. I ordered through seamless, which gives me live updates on the progress of my order. 12 minutes after I placed my order I got a message from seamless telling me that the driver was on the way with the pizza. I thought «Wow that was fast» and became even more excited. Manducatis is (according to google maps) a 7 minute drive away from my location but I didn’t worry when the driver took more than 20 minutes to arrive. The total delivery time was about 40 minutes, which I consider fair, and I thought that perhaps seamless’ live updates had made an error, understandably.
The problem didn’t manifest until I opened the box. The pizza was cold, appeared to have virtually no sauce and what little sauce it did have was dried on to the crust. It tasted as if I were eating plain pizza crust with tasteless sausage and half burned onions on top. I tried to eat some of it, as I had spent $ 19 on the entire order, but I couldn’t bring myself to eat more than a couple of reheated slices that I dressed up with some tomato sauce I had on hand.

Truly delicious. The specials alone will create a «Sophie’s Choice» moment. I had the oriechette with broccoli rabe and sausage which was outstanding. great atmosphere with charm to spare. Prices are very reasonable.

Stopped in because we were craving gelato.
Had their pistachio & cappuccino gelato.
Preferred the pistachio over the cappuccino. The latter just tasted like a lot of cream with a hint of coffee… Maybe we’ll try their food next time.

This has been my second visit in two months and I thoroughly enjoyed my food both times. Delicious salad with apples and shaved parmesano. Rigatoni and meatballs like Grandma used to make. Tasty orechiette with broccoli rabe and sliced sausage. Toasty bread crusts, great for dipping in olive oil. Parking can be difficult and you need to feed the meters. Old world charm. I look forward to returning.

This place is superb. Food was really good. The best item here is the fresh made to order chicken pizza. The bread and olive oil was even good. This spot has the best gelato I have ever had. The desserts deserve 2 thumbs up. Service was good and the waiter was really good and hospitable. Just please do order the food before hand, this place gets really busy, I would call a hour before for picking up food. This place is in a location where you have one of the best views, so location is really good. You gotta stop by here.

Usually I’m not writing reviews but seem like this I was pushed. My husband and I were recommended by a friend came to this place. First impression: totally disorganized restaurant. No hostess, managers. Also this place is missing and decorator. It looks like an old New York but unfortunately dirty. On a beautiful location but everything is so wrong! Forks and knives are not well washed, a waitress from Ireland yelling and insulting other employees in front of guests. She needs a man and not a job! Negative people refuse guests! That scene really made me upset! That was unacceptable behavior! More I expected and also from food: tasteless Calamari with too much oil, pasta as it was made in 7 eleven and not in the restaurant! It should be the new owner and management! Terrible experience. I did not dare to try dessert! The music is too loud! In the name of God, run away from this place!

It was a snowy mix in the morning, but the sun finally broke thru and gave us an opportunity to check out Manducatis Rustica for Restaurant Week. I arrived with a total party of 4. I wish I bought a bigger party as more of my colleagues would have enjoyed it. The Restaurant has old school charm as they even started the wood fireplace for us. The décor has old timers photo of LIC and pieces from the past. My favorite is the cash register. I was informed that it was the oldest cashier in LIC! Service was top notch– they were personable, quick, friendly and attentive. What more can you ask for?
I ordered the calamari, white fish with cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, cauliflowers, and a cannoli as a desert. The calamari was very tender with plenty of sauce. I added a pinch of salt and it went from good to amazing. I was quite full after the calamari but I knew better things were coming. The white fish was well seasoned and it went beautifully with the tomatoes and mushroom. It provides great contrast and flavor. At the end of the meal, it was top off with a cannoli. Cannoli was divine! It was a great meal and I highly recommend it to others.

My absolute favorite Italian Restaurant EVER!!! Every time! Service, food, décor, everything from the moment you walk in to the last drop of your after meal coffee — fantastic!
It feels as you came to visit family. I might have tried everything on the menu, as we go there for dinner often, I have our company’s and my family parties there, and there was never a miss… everyone always loved it. Attentive service, amazing food, what else can one ask for? We have gone to other Italian places and every time said the same afterwards — should have gone to Gianna’s, what were we thinking! I am sure there are comparable restaurants out there, we are in New York after all, but Gianna’s Manducatis Rustica stands on it’s own and is an unmatchable gem of a place and is beyond comparison.

Came here for dinner during restaurant week ($ 38.00 for three courses) with a couple friends on a Thursday night. Nice ambiance inside — has a nice old-​school/​rustic Italian feel with lots of seating and a bar area. Was impressed by the selection of appetizers and main courses available on the restaurant week menu. Started with fried calamari and caprese salad (my friend and I shared because we wanted to try both). The were out of arugula that night, which was a bummer because I had hoped to try their arugula salad (they were also out of smoked salmon). The caprese salad did not disappoint — the mozzarella cheese was almost burrata-​like. Very creamy and soft. Nice portion size with hefty slices of beefsteak tomatoes over some greens. The calamari was also very good — not the most tender I’ve ever had but good flavor and a nice portion of homemade marinara to go on the side.
For main course, I had the homemade gnocci with veal Bolognese (I am a sucker for homemade pasta!) The pasta was delicious — not too doughy which can be the case with gnocci. The sauce was very good too, although a little on the salty side. The portion was very large and I ended up having some leftovers.
Finally for dessert, I tried the tiramisu, which I highly recommend. It was very authentic and fresh. I also sampled a little gelato when I was at the dessert counter… I might get a pint of that to bring home next time!
Service was great. We always had our water glasses filled, the waitress was very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. Overall a great place that I will definitely keep on my list of solid queens Italian choices!

Atmosphere, amazing! Service, amazing! Food, amazing! Manducatis had the feel of a small neighborhood joint because it is. The service was quick and the waitress was very attentive to our needs. Very child friendly. It’s not one of those quiet stuffy places. A lot of chatter. The welcome kind. Just the right volume. Regular menu with a lengthy daily specials list included. Excellent wine and beer selection. I had the tortellini gorgonzola. Out of this world! Enough space between tables that you don’t feel crowded. And a fantastic dessert selection. Also some great artwork on the walls. Highly recommend Manducatis for a causal or formal night out.

Great food and atmosphere!
If you are staying in Manhattan, it’s definitely worth the short subway ride.

Review strictly for bakery only.
I remembered that they carried the BEST pumpkin cheesecake from the last time I had it which must have been a year ago.
We stopped in again today to pick up a couple of pieces to satisfy the cheesecake craving.
The place is nice and accommodating as usual and has a very homey feel to it which I always loved.
I have to say I am extremely disappointed in the cheesecake this time around. I also forgot how much they charge for a piece, almost $ 7!!! The pieces are extra teeny tiny too. This isn’t the way to do business especially when the quality has gone down so much. I wouldn’t complain about the price if the cake was good but it was extra dry with a tasteless crust and just not comparable to what it used to be.
I hope this review is taken into consideration by the owner because many more complaints will come if their bakery items are all like this.

The dough used in the pizza is delicious and the fresh ingredients make it
a standout. Cannoli’s are filled when served to remain fresh and the ricotta texture
thick and sweet. A homey atmosphere — more ol’fashion than slick restaurant scene.

This place was a big disappointment from the service to the food
The prices were high
The inside was nice tho

Stopped in for the gelato. There wasn’t much of a variety, pretty much just the basics. I ordered the chocolate which was really good! I would come back here if I was in the area and craving gelato, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to come here. If you just want some chocolate gelato though and are in LIC this would be your spot.

We got chocolate covered cannolis, a slice of Italian style cheesecake and carrot cake, and a guava gelato. The 4^th place is the carrot cake, the 3^rd place is the gelato, the 2^nd place is the Italian cheesecake, and the 1^st place is the cannolis! If you don’t wanna spend a lot for desserts but definitely want some after drinks or in the afternoon, Manducatis Rustica is the place to be.

This has been a long favorite of our family since moving to Long Island City. Always friendly and welcoming. Haven’t gotten around to writing a review. Their pasta is so good. You can really taste the homemade texture.
We recently had our rehearsal dinner here! They comfortably sat over 30 guests. The menu was very fairly priced and everybody was happy with the portions and quality of the plates. We never felt rushed and we got excellent service.
Our menu
Appetizer:
Diavola, Funghi and Margherita pizzas
Insalata di casa
Mozzarella and Tomatoes
Pasta
Penne Bolognese
Farfalle Primavera only for vegetarian guests
Entrée (guest choice of):
Chicken Parmigiana
Pesce Rustica

1 star for the environment.
Not good experience there because the cakes are not fresh. The cake I ordered went moldy! Another cake they served didn’t taste good, either. Coffee is not as expected. Service is very slow — they didn’t really care about us. Very disappointed.

So far the BEST pizza in New York ! Not jockeying! Same amazing flavor of pizza in Italy and super great ingredients. Tonight I had a special Regina Margherita with buffalo mozzarella from puglia and prosciutto di Parma. The best way to invest 20 $ in an incredible food experience. Grazie Gianna !!! Eating this pizza I suggest to drink a Pinot noir wine or a primitivo from puglia. Enjoy !!!

I came in here the other day, eager to try a neighborhood gem. There are a variety of seating and tables, from white tablecloth set to rustic wooden farmhouse style. The owner and staff were gracious and let me sit wherever I wanted.
I opted for a rustic wooden farmhouse table by the window. The menu is full of standard staples of Italian cuisine, such as bistecca, veal chop, filet mignon, whole bronzino, and more. I ordered the pork osso buco, a special of the day.
When it came to the table, my eyes widened in delight. A beautifully plated entrée, it was a generous portion of tender osso buco, with just the right amount of fat to lean. The sauce was a reduction of the braising liquid, and tasting aromatically infused with carrots, onions, and tomato. It was served along with cavatelli, perfect for sopping up the delicious sauce.
A glass of red wine complemented my meal well. For dessert, I had a Unilocal checkin special of free small gelato, which was perfect.