If you ever find yourself hungry while walking in midtown New York or are still looking for quality, not merely convenience, then Lodi, located at 1 Rockefeller Plaza, is a great choice. Lodi offers a quick bite or snack for breakfast, lunch, pre-theater, aperitivo, or dinner, and is from the same team behind Estela and Altro Paradiso.
A small luxurious bakery decked out in marble and gold trim, with counter seating, facing the windows inside around the perimeter of the restaurant, or stand-up kiosk, and white table cloths outside in their covered patio Terrazza.
The menu may read as simple, but Louis Valle is the baker responsible for some of New York’s finest pieces of bread, pastries, and sandwiches, made with flour ground fresh each day by a stone mill in the open glassed-in kitchen. He previously worked at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, so you realize that he definitely knows what he is doing. The Chef de cuisine is Maxime Pradié, who creates delicious pasta, salads, and cooked dishes for lunch and dinner. Sandwiches have the crusts cut off, so you can elegantly nibble while sipping your Aperol Spritz.
We ordered some Charcuterie and a divine bread basket that held some of the finest focaccia and sourdough this reviewer has ever had. The pasta dishes were also well made. Don’t expect a small casual cafe serving mediocre food in Midtown. Lodi does not compromise when it comes to quality ingredients, even when serving a simple dish. They draw their inspiration from Italian aperitivo culture that you can visit any time of the day where they source the best Italian products and serve some impressive, uncomplicated Italian food.
Recommended.
Happy dining,
Shanea
07/20/2023
