I was never the biggest fan of Italian food. Coming home from school, there would often be an enormous pot of spaghetti waiting for me that would take an eternity to wear down. It was really easy to get sick of, and that’s what happened. Although it was only one dish, my mind was made up on Italian cuisine. Pizza was never factored into the equation because everybody knows that most American pizza chains aren’t even remotely close to Italian pizza.
A friend of mine, Maria, and I had gotten into a discussion. Maria is part Italian, and I made the mistake of telling her that I disliked Italian food. Ironically, I’m now seated in a classroom writing an article about an Italian restaurant that I fell in love with.
Before this time, I didn’t know much about Maria, so I asked her for a restaurant recommendation because I love going out, and all I do is eat; it seemed perfect. She recommended a restaurant called 314. At first, I hadn’t the slightest clue about the place, but after some research, I knew what I needed to do.
I made up my mind to go to 314 and confirm my lack of interest in Italian food. It was around November 2nd, 2024, when I first went. I live fairly close to the restaurant, so I thought, why not go?
The first time I went, I wore Christmas pajamas and slides with no clue on what to expect. I was greeted by a friendly lady named Roberta. Immediately, I scanned my surroundings and was fascinated—the place was beautiful. The first thing to catch my eye was the gigantic bar. Beside it were well-decorated signs and glossy mirrors.
Upon being handed the menu, there were items I wasn’t familiar with seeing, as I don’t speak any Italian. However, after some simple guesses, words like “insalate” or “antipasti” were easy to translate to “salad” and “appetizers,” respectively. I came here without telling my parents, so I had to take my order to go. Upon making that request, I was seated at the bar and greeted by the bartender, Andrew.
Andrew was a very kind and respectful guy. At the time, I had no idea that Andrew was one of the owners. I find it cool that both he and Bruno, the owners, are also the bartenders. After our light conversation, Andrew gave me a drinking glass with a larger bottle of water to treat myself.
I ordered a salad called “Endive.” I had no idea what it was other than the light warning from Roberta regarding its extremely sour nature. The salad had endive, spinach, grapes and grated feta on top of it with a sauce in a smaller container on the side, helping tone down the intense sourness. Unfortunately, the salad was removed from the menu, so I have difficulty remembering everything inside the salad, although those ingredients were the main components.
When I returned home to try the salad, sure enough, it was extremely sour, catching me off guard despite the disclaimer Roberta has given me. I loved it. The salad was so flavorful and unique. It was the first time I had anything like it, and I was amazed. I never would have expected to find a grape in a salad with spinach, but they went well together.
I went to 314 a couple more times after that and tried different items on the menu. My favorite by far was their pizza. The “314” was the best pizza I’ve ever had in my life. When I first ate it, I knew immediately. The Ezzo pepperoni were the best pepperonis I’ve ever had; the combination of different cheeses was fantastic; the dough was a perfect texture with charred bits of perfection. I can only dream of having it again for the next time.
My visit for pizza was also when I got to interview one of the owners, Bruno. He was a great guy to talk to—giving me the time I needed, answering my questions with sincere and thoughtful responses, and offering additional information that truly intrigued me. I had a lovely conversation with Bruno.
314 was originally supposed to be a cocktail bar. Its original location was on the corner of Amsterdam and 122nd. Around ten years ago, Bruno first came to America to learn English and planned to return to Italy after 6–12 months. Lucky for me, he stayed and eventually opened this fantastic restaurant alongside Andrew. While I wasn’t able to get an interview with Andrew, he was the bartender for a vast majority of my visits. He’s an exceptionally kind soul and, like Bruno, extremely skilled at his work.
314 first opened in October 2018 on 122nd and Amsterdam Avenue in the Morningside Heights section of Manhattan, but it relocated to its current location in the summer of 2022. Now on the corner of Broadway and La Salle Street, the restaurant fits right in. As I first suspected when I was introduced to it, the restaurant was named after the irrational mathematical constant, pi.
Surrounded by other eateries and establishments, 314 sits in a rather pleasant area. Continuing down Broadway gets you to Columbia University, just a couple of blocks toward 125th will take you to the 1 train station, along with plenty of bus connections throughout the city.
At 314, I’ve been able to get seating and service rather quickly. The workers are very diligent, and your food will take, at the very most, ten minutes to get to you. Even in a big group or a party, you and your company will be served in no time. Of all of the items I’ve had the pleasure of trying on 314’s menu, I thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of them. One thing I’ll say for sure is that this is my favorite restaurant in the city—and you should absolutely give it a try.
One thing I’ll say for sure is that this is my favorite restaurant in the city—and you should absolutely give it a try.