Here are a few of the borough’s most beloved old-school Italian gems still serving up that timeless charm:
Michaels of Brooklyn
📍 2929 Avenue R.
Family-run since the 1960s, this Marine Park mainstay is where tradition meets the perfect marinara.
Bamonte’s
📍 32 Withers St.
Brooklyn’s oldest Italian restaurant (est. 1900), famous for tuxedoed waiters, retro vibes and unforgettable spaghetti and clams.
Ortobello Restaurant
📍 6401 Bay Pkwy.
A Bensonhurst favorite serving hearty classics — locals swear by the veal parm and the baked clams.
Joe’s of Avenue U
📍 287 Avenue U
A Gravesend icon known for Sicilian seafood, old-school service, and a menu that hasn’t changed in decades (for good reason). The arancina is devine!
Gargiulo’s
📍 2911 West 15th St.
Coney Island elegance since 1907 — where generations of Brooklynites have celebrated everything from weddings to Sunday dinner.
