We love La Lanterna and it’s a step above the hundreds of Italian cafes in the city. It also has just about everything in the world you could possibly ever want to eat. I mean really, you could go there for two months straight without eating the same thing. And boy is the place infinitely charming and unique.
The gorgeous enclosed courtyard is nearly worth the trip alone, but there’s also a really cozy, romantic basement level that has a lovely vibe. The only place you don’t want to sit is in the dining room immediately by the entrance. Though it can be calmer during the lunch period and afternoons, many evenings it’s packed, particularly on the weekend. So definitely make a reservation.
The pizzas are Neapolitan style and are generally fantastic and commonly what we order. They’re about 12 inches and they execute all the basics well: the dough, the crust, the sauce. It’s one of the better Neapolitan places in the city. But some of their other dishes are worth considering, too:
Calzone – great portion, great taste. Comes with a (pre-mixed) blend of mozzarella and ricotta cheeses and fresh tomatoes. You can choose to add from a whole variety of ingredients to it if you’d like. It’s cooked perfectly, not charred. Dough is soft and chewy. One suggestion – if you get this, definitely ask for some tomato sauce on the side. It’s a heavy, substantial dish and the sauce will make it fresh and extra delicious.
Lasagna – La Lanterna offers individually cooked portions of lasagna, served inside the dish in which it was baked. You have the option of lasagna bolognese, lasagna al pesto (which I’ve never seen elsewhere), and lasagna quattro formaggi. We’ve tried two of the three and they are super flavorful and filling.
And their desserts are fantastic.
Mud Cake – Yes! Get this. Rich, delicious, not too sweet, but heavy enough to fill you up. Definitely warm it up because you eat it and top it with some ice cream.
Mousse Cake – really good, but doesn’t compare to the mud cake. It’s sweeter than the mud cake and lighter. Can’t really be eaten warm because then it essentially melts and turns into a hot fudge like texture. Still good, though, and I’d recommend it for those who don’t want something heavy or dense.
Pumpkin Cognac Cheesecake – great taste, great texture. Way lighter than most cheesecakes, which was a nice change of pace. Not too sweet. Don’t taste the cognac flavor really at all, so I’m not sure of the point. And by the end, the pumpkin flavor gets a little tiring. But still a great cheesecake, especially for pumpkin lovers.
Frozen Cappuccino – great. Has a bit of a mocha flavor and I don’t know where that comes from because I’m pretty sure there isn’t chocolate in it. Sweetened just the right amount. Worth trying.
Only two negatives we’ve experienced since we discovered this place:
Hot Cappuccino – honestly terrible. Really terrible. It tastes like badly flavored water. I couldn’t believe it, given how good most things are here. Super weak and just not good.
Peasant Bread Toast with Butter and Jam – 3 small pieces of heavily toasted bread. We ordered it because we just wanted something small to nibble on with the coffees once, but it was a mistake. The bread doesn’t taste good, it came nearly burnt, it was very hard, and the portion was very small. Just get a real meal here.
Highly recommend this place. Great ambiance, polite servers, and many items are super hits.
