
One thing about New York City is it knows a thing or two about good dining, and while its known for many a classic Italian restaurants, not many are as loved as Emilio’s Ballato–and its A-list clientele proves that.
One celeb in particular who most recently visited the no-frills restaurant–Taylor Swift herself.
Not too long ago Swift was seen dining at the restaurant with the ultimate girl gang–Blake Lively, Sophie Turner, and Brittany Mahomes, among others. A source told People, “They dined in a private room. Everyone had a blast. They all got along and were just laughing all night over drinks and delicious food.”
In reality, Emilio’s Ballato isn’t just known for its star-studded list of diners–it’s a true New York City institution of Italian comfort food.
The restaurant first opened its doors in 1956 and has since undergone various ownership. However, one thing remains true: they’re known for serving up beloved and classic Italian-American dishes.
The menu errs on the side of simplicity with four main sections–antipasti, insalata e zuppe, secondi, and pasta–but just because it’s kept simple doesn’t mean it’s not sufficient. Standout dishes include their bone-in veal parmigiana, caprese, and calamari pasta e fagioli.
Emilio’s Ballato has also been visited by stars such as George Clooney, Barack Obama, Denzel Washington, Justin Bieber, and Rihanna.
The bad news: the restaurant doesn’t take any reservations and is walk-in only. So if you’re looking to snag a table and potentially bump elbows with Taylor Swift you’ll have to arrive early and, more likely than not, be prepared to wait.
But if you do happen to score a table, we definitely don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
📍 55 E Houston Street, New York