Ornella Trattoria is not just any Italian restaurant in Astoria, NY. With a new, modern look and one of the most creative menus in the business, this popular Trattoria is constantly re-inventing itself. From the updated déco, a brand new espresso station and Chef Guiseppe Viterale's amazing dishes, Ornella is THE place to be in Astoria, when you are in the mood for Italian cuisine.

Food and family has always played an important part in the lives of Guiseppe and his lovely wife Ornella, for whom the restaurant is named. Guiseppe's menu is, in a way, a tribute to the dishes that he enjoyed as a child, in the kitchen of his Mom and grandmother. They inspired Guiseppe to cook and he has never looked back since.

The ingredients that Chef Guiseppe uses to work his magic are all locally sourced and natural and organic, when ever possible. One of the owner's greatest joys is to watch a family come to Ornella and sit, laugh and talk as they work their way through one delightful course after another.

This calls to mind the fun times that the Viterale family enjoyed back in Salerno when they would sit around the table, at the end of the day and enjoy dinner together. When you plan an evening at Ornella, leave, at least, a couple of hour open, so that you can take it all in and savor the experience. You won't be leaving any time, soon.

Start off your evening with a delicious appetizer like Guiseppe's signature Duck Meatballs, which are filled with cheese and cooked in a brandy-orange reduction with raisins. Another delightful appetizer is the Gamberi and Fagioli. This dish consists of broiled shrimp, cannellini beans,garlic, rosemary, tomatoes and just a touch of e.v.o.o. The dish is light so it makes for a perfect appetizer.

If Leonardo Da Vinci were alive today, even he would applaud the absolute ingenuity and creativity that Guiseppe shows in his home made pasta and sauce creations. There is nothing like Chef's chestnut flour pasta in a cream and pistachio sauce, anywhere in the city. It is a different but delectable taste. The Pizzoccheri dish consists of Buck wheat pasta with cabbage, potatoes and Fontina cheese. Possibly  Ornella's most popular pasta dish is the famous Imbustata, which is baked envelope shaped pasta that's filled with roasted veal, mushrooms, spinach and mascarpone cheese in a tomato sauce. The cavatelli alla Vodka is Chef Guiseppe's savory take on the traditional Penne alla Vodka.

There  is also a variety of chicken and fish dishes available on the menu. Every Tuesday Ornella presents Steak Night, a great value for  only fifteen dollars. Thursday is Pasta Night, for ten dollars. It is very rare when value meets quality but is does happen here at Ornella.

Come and celebrate, from the Viterale family to yours: Buon Appetito!

Our mission statement at "Ornella Trattoria Italiana" is to put as much passion in serving the public as we do our own family. We are committed to using the finest organic ingredients in all our recipes. Customer satisfaction is paramount.  We have recently created a superb vegetarian menu to the delight our non-meat eating patrons. If a juicy steak is more to your liking, please check out our steak menu.  We cater to a full range of gastronomic preferences and we pledge to make "Ornella Trattoria Italiana " a memorable experience for you and your family. And as we say at our house : "Tutti a tavola prima che si fa fredda la pasta."