Craft – New York City, NY

by Natasha

Craft: https://www.craftrestaurant.com/

Walking into one of Tom Colicchio’s flagship restaurants, my expectations were high and the staff, ambiance, and especially the food went above and beyond and I can say this was one of the best dining experiences I have ever had.

I was in NYC for a wedding and had a free night before all my friends showed up so I thought, why not treat myself to a solo dining experience. After several hours (I’m not kidding when I say hours, there are SO many options in the city), I finally decided on Craft and was able to snag a reservation.

As soon as I took my first step into Craft, I was greeted by the hostess and seated right away. I had the perfect view to the rest of the dining room where I could people watch and observe how the staff was seamlessly operating.

The vibe of the restaurant is right up my alley – very meticulously put together without being stuffy. The environment and staff makes you feel comfortable and at ease and of course, ready for a great meal!

I started off with the Berry Verbena Spritz – the perfect cocktail to begin my meal. It was refreshing and cooling which was amazing after spending a hot summer day in the city.

The restaurant requires you to order your entire meal in one go since the kitchen prepares everything from scratch. What I really enjoyed is that you can “craft” your meal based on the amazing choices on the menu. The dishes aren’t organized as they normally are at traditional restaurants (appetizers, main entrees, and sides). The menu instead focuses on the types of dishes and the ingredients. They had small plates, pastas, meats, seafood, vegetables, and various potato dishes.

I ordered the ricotta and sweet corn agnolotti with truffles as my first course and I must say, this is one of the best pastas I’ve ever had. Each bite was melting in my mouth and the truffles paired so, so well with the sweet corn. They also served some bread which was perfect to swipe up the leftover sauce. I would come back to Craft just for this dish, it’s definitely one for the books.

Then, I had the seared black bass with a side of greens. The fish was cooked to perfection and was so flaky. Even though this dish was relatively simple with minimal flavors, the lemon and thyme worked well with each other and complemented the fish. The greens were a great side and the kitchen was kind enough to provide a half portion since I was on my own and the full portion is meant to be shared.

I love to pair my meal with a glass (or two) of wine and Craft’s wine by the glass choices did not disappoint. I had a glass of their Pinot Noir Rosé which went well with both the pasta and the fish. Not only do they have a good selection if you’re only looking for a glass of wine, but they have a very extensive bottle menu as well.

And for my final course, which in my opinion, is always the best course, I had the chocolate soufflé. This came out straight from the oven and with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This dessert was heavenly. One tip, the kitchen makes this from scratch so be prepared to wait for a bit while they prepare it. It’s definitely worth it.

The service is very attentive without being over-bearing and very knowledgeable about the food and the drinks. If you’re debating between dishes, definitely ask the staff for their recommendations – that’s how I ordered the agnolotti, which, not to be dramatic, but was life changing.

I would definitely recommend coming to Craft, whether it be for a special occasion, date night, or just for fun. The food, vibe, and service is excellent and I hope you have as good a time as I did. If you go, we’d love to hear about your experience – drop us a comment or reach out to us over on Instagram!