Lilia

Lilia

Italian Restaurant and Café$$$$
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
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9.2/10
1,018
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  • Stars
  • Stars
    The experts at Eater and Gothamist recommend this place
    • Eater
    • Gothamist
  • Tips
    Alves P.
    "It started with delicious mozzarella, then the mafaldini."(21 Tips)
    Clarissa
    "Best pastas were the lamb ragu and malfadini"(15 Tips)
    Bin Y.
    "Cacio e Pepe fritelles are excellent to start."(9 Tips)
    Mark M.
    "Fantastic vibes and even better orange olive oil cake 🍰"(10 Tips)
Tips and Reviews icon187 Tips and reviews
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  • Jesse L.heart icon on user image
    Jesse LaneAugust 3, 2016
    Truly the best bang for your buck out there. This is going to sound pretentious, but the scallops were exceptional, and the Mafaldini was one of the best pasta dishes I've ever had. A must try
  • Emily W.heart icon on user image
    Emily WilsonMarch 18, 2016
    Been here 10+ times
    Missy Robbins does wonders with parmesan and bread crumbs. My favorite of her signature dishes are the artichoke and the malfadini. This is a perfect restaurant; beautiful, casual, delicious, and fun.
    Upvoted 3 weeks ago
  • Kayleigh H.heart icon on user image
    Kayleigh HarringtonNovember 21, 2016
    Amazing pasta. Started with delicious mozzarella, then the mafaldini (you have to try it), the agnolotti was nice, and finished with a warm ginger apple tart. Go early and sit at the bar.
  • Emily K.heart icon on user image
    Emily KaneFebruary 23, 2016
    Been here 10+ times
    Step 1: Get the cacio e pepe frittelle as a starter. Step 2: Celebrate your incredible life choices.
  • Nicole F.heart icon on user image
    Nicole FormicaOctober 7, 2016
    This place is the real deal. Malfadini pasta was extraordinary. The artichoke was outstanding. There is nothing you can order and not have it be fabulous!
  • Victoria U.heart icon on user image
    Victoria U.February 24, 2016
    Still weeping after that amazing Malfadini. Get that and Cacio e Pepe fritelle as app with the olive oil cake to finish.
  • Eater
    EaterOctober 11, 2016
    Chef Missy Robbins serves an inventive and highly-personal style of Italian cuisine. Standouts include the veal steak, the cacio e pepe fritters, and the mafaldine pasta with pink peppercorns. Read more
  • Jeff W.heart icon on user image
    Jeff WooMarch 21, 2016
    This is a place you'd want to come back as soon as you leave. Order everything but in particular the Mafaldini, Agnolotti, Chestnut Crema toast, Cacio e Pepe Frittelle. 🏆
  • Ashley D.heart icon on user image
    Ashley DeloseMarch 26, 2016
    Everything was delicious! Wood oven flavor...my favorites: whole artichoke, squid, and broccoli pesto gnocchi. Save room for dessert and get the olive oil cake with blood orange and fresh cream!
  • Bin Y.heart icon on user image
    Bin YangJune 7, 2016
    Cacio e Pepe fritelles are excellent to start. The pastas rotate and are always house made and excellent though sometimes a little too overwhelming. There's a cool bar in the back for waiting.
  • Clarissaheart icon on user image
    ClarissaAugust 11, 2018
    Been here 5+ times
    The mozzarella toast was perfectly seasoned on crispy toast. I would come back just for it. The clams and chicken liver crostini were also good apps. Best pastas were the lamb ragu and malfadini
  • Julia M.heart icon on user image
    Julia MillotMay 22, 2018
    Get the clams and mozzarella toast to start, the mafaldini, gnocchi, agnolotti and spaghetti and sea bass for mains. Skip the rigatoni. Try the blowfish is you’re a fish fan and save room for dessert!
  • Julia M.heart icon on user image
    Julia MillotMay 22, 2018
    The mafaldini was like a really delicious cacio e pepe but with a unique taste. The ricotta gnocchi was the tastiest pasta and the spaghetti was understated and perfect. Must get the mozzarella toast!
  • Amanda R.heart icon on user image
    Amanda RellaFebruary 3, 2018
    Amazing!!!! Must get the grilled clams - so flavorful and with a kick! The agnolotti is a standout and will be ordered every time. Don't leave without having the olive oil cake. All around great!
  • Noah W.heart icon on user image
    Noah WeissJune 17, 2019
    Pretty perfect restaurant. Get the cacio e people fritelle, bagna cauda, grilled clams, malfadini, and "Italian job" off menu dessert. Get there by 5pm for a seat...
  • Nikki B.heart icon on user image
    Nikki B 🦂December 2, 2017
    Everything is amazing here. While I loved the rigatoni and wasn't blown away by the malfadini, the real star to me was the lamb shank and all of the amazing apps. Oh my god!
  • Benjamin D.heart icon on user image
    Benjamin DietrichMarch 18, 2016
    Very nice place, try to sit at the bar and watch the kitchen do its magic. Given how he loved the chef's old place in Chicago, there's actually a good chance that Obama will stop by at one point...
  • Michael A.heart icon on user image
    Michael AnthonySeptember 16, 2023
    Finally made it to Lilia and it did not disappoint. Some of the most unique pastas I’ve had. Agnolotti and Mafaldini were both incredible.
  • Kristine K.heart icon on user image
    Kristine KeenanMarch 11, 2016
    pretty sure the Sheeps Milk Cheese Filled Agnolotti is what they serve when you get to heaven. Blown away. Ricotta gnocchi was also fabulous- everything was. Extremely reasonable prices for NYC dining
  • Eater
    EaterAugust 1, 2016
    The right call at the end of the meal is a soft-serve gelato delivered in a glass cup, anointed with your choice of toppings; try garnishing it with candied orange rind for an impromptu creamsicle. Read more
  • Maria R.heart icon on user image
    Maria RiabtchenkoNovember 20, 2016
    Order bread, and find out just why this place is known for ALL their food. Come with a big group, taste all the pastas, burrata, scallops, squid, and leave with a happy belly
  • Alex C.heart icon on user image
    Alex CarvalloSeptember 25, 2016
    Been here 10+ times
    Put everything down and go eat here. Artichokes were amazing. Everything was amazing. Great restaurant. Well worth the wait.
  • Condé Nast Traveler
    Condé Nast TravelerAugust 22, 2016
    Get the top homemade pastas (pink peppercorn–spiced malfaldini, spaghetti with scungilli and fennel) and cool cocktails, most based on classic Italian ingredients like Campari, amaro, and marsala. Read more
  • Meredith B.heart icon on user image
    Meredith BlechmanJanuary 14, 2017
    It's pretty incredible what simple ingredients like breadcrumbs and Parmesan can do. These people are food gods. Solid order: artichoke and little gem, malfadini and rigatoni (packs some spice).
  • bhimtastic
    bhimtasticNovember 30, 2017
    Been here 10+ times
    THE LAMB IS EVERYTHING. Literally will be my wedding cake. Focaccia is a must. The malfaldini and just the simple spaghetti are spectacular. Also, probably the best gin and tonic I’ve ever had.
  • Ashley C.
    Ashley ChanApril 22, 2017
    Don't leave without getting the cacio e pepe fritelle and soft serve. Their pastas are unique, but the highlights for me were the delightful appetizers & desserts. Great value for lots of food.
  • gcycheart icon on user image
    gcycAugust 11, 2018
    only had 1 fish dish as was dining alone - blow fish tail - blew me away. glad I listened to their rec! suspect all their seafood dishes are exception - an excuse to come back to q for another hr!
  • Sheen
    SheenMarch 9, 2023
    Milano sour, G&T, and select spritz all great; skip the olive oil cake and get the Italian job instead. Artichokes, clams, focaccia and little gems all great. Pastas are okay, fettuccine was the best.
  • Claudia F.heart icon on user image
    Claudia FilthApril 20, 2016
    Seriously one of the best meals I've ever had in NYC. Cacio al peppe frittelle and gnocchi are to die for! So is the olive oil cake!
  • Oren S.
    Oren ShatkenJuly 27, 2017
    While everyone knows how good the pasta is, the true sleeper on the menu is the black bass with potatoes and salsa verde- great flavor, but the texture of the potato and fish together are 💯
  • Katie H.
    Katie HollenbachJanuary 20, 2017
    Great wine, good pasta. Wasn't super impressed by the other dishes, and not sure overall it lives up to the hype. Beautiful space and good service!
  • AmateurConciergeheart icon on user image
    AmateurConciergeMarch 13, 2016
    Definitely get the squash app and mafaldini which is an al dente lovers dream. Skip the cauliflower (undercooked). Fritelle cacio e Pepe a good fried treat no doubt but foursquare overloving it
  • Sarah D.heart icon on user image
    Sarah DrydenNovember 4, 2017
    Love, love the sardines and the lamb fettuccini. The cacio e Pepe fritters were to die for. Cant wait to try everything else, ever.
  • Emily K.heart icon on user image
    Emily KaneFebruary 23, 2016
    Been here 10+ times
    Some of the best Italian food I've had in the city for an incredibly decent price. Ball out and get a bottle of wine without breaking the bank.
  • Edwina M.heart icon on user image
    Edwina McGregorJuly 3, 2018
    The food here is to die for! Highly recommend the Chicken Liver Crostini and the Agnolotti – both are exceptional!
  • Chris M.heart icon on user image
    Chris MaddernJuly 3, 2016
    All of the pastas are incredible. I'd highly recommend the cacio e pepe frittatas to start! Great Italian wine list. 🍷
  • Danielaheart icon on user image
    DanielaApril 21, 2018
    Been here 5+ times
    What to recommend? Try the trumpet mushrooms... The sheeps milk cheese filled agnolotti? They are really that good! The focaccia, the olive cake... It‘s food heaven on earth! Just enjoy!
  • Josh G.
    Josh GrussOctober 9, 2017
    One of my favorite cafe's in NY. I always make it a point to stop here when in Brooklyn. The mozzerella is amazing!
  • Raquelle J.heart icon on user image
    Raquelle JessieJune 23, 2016
    favorite restaurant. ORDER: baked clams- best i've ever had, ravioli (no need to chew because they melt in your mouth), gnocchi, agnolotti,rigatoni lemon granita, strawberry crostata.
  • Courtney D.heart icon on user image
    Courtney DeshNovember 13, 2019
    Scallops were unreal (only give you two though), sea bass was awesome, and so was the sheep’s milk ricotta pasta dish. Decent prices, cute/ more casual ambiance than sister restaurant Misi
  • Eric A.heart icon on user image
    Eric AbergelSeptember 14, 2017
    Been here 5+ times
    Arguably one of the best Italian restaurants in NYC! You really can't go wrong with anything! Come with a group of 4 so you can taste a little bit of everything.
  • Phil T.heart icon on user image
    Phil TorontoApril 29, 2017
    You literally cannot go wrong with any order, but here is yet another vote for the agnolotti ✌🏻🍝
  • Louis D.heart icon on user image
    Louis DavidFebruary 3, 2018
    Pasta, pasta pasta.. and pretty much everything is awesome here! I have been there 3 times and every time it was fantastic. That said the ice creams could be better.
  • Anthony P.heart icon on user image
    Anthony PopeoMay 31, 2016
    Everything's great but you can't go wrong with any of the pastas (especially sheeps milk cheese filled agnolotti). Get the ramp focaccia as an appetizer...or dessert.
  • Ruby A.heart icon on user image
    Ruby AnayaMay 11, 2016
    Ask for any recommendations - you will not be disappointed. Little gems, lamb leg, mafaldine al dente were my favorites.
  • StayNYC R.
    StayNYC RentalsAugust 27, 2018
    The sizable outdoor seating area open to walk-ins makes trying the legendary malfadini far more feasible. If you do have to wait, grab a seat in the public, Wi-Fi-equipped park across the street.
  • IrmaZandl Z.heart icon on user image
    IrmaZandl ZandlSlantMarch 3, 2016
    Been here 5+ times
    Pastas are fantastic as is the soft serve ice cream. Great time list, superb service and absolutely gorgeous space
  • Nicole C.heart icon on user image
    Nicole CloutierApril 15, 2016
    Cool bar dining scene, delicious cocktails, great service. Pappardelle w Veal Bolognese was over-the-top rich. Bagna Cauda was waay too anchovie-y and I love anchovies.
  • pipituheart icon on user image
    pipituJune 5
    Everything is good. Loved the foccacia, the scallop, the linguine and the olive oil gelato. Such a gem.
  • Laurea d.heart icon on user image
    Laurea de OcampoMarch 12, 2016
    Been here 5+ times
    Perfect al dente pasta & great seafood options in a beautiful space. Ask for the bread - it's grilled and delicious
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