Forlini's. - New York

This little gem restaurant is a great-tasting, home-feeling Italian spot! I ordered their house-speciality Panserolli Piacenlina (spelling?) which was

Outstanding serviceDelicious foodOld school decor and feel We enjoyed lunch after a day of shopping and couldn't have been more pleased.

Seriously old-school Italian eatery just south of Little Italy.

I first came here in the late 1980's when I had a job at a city agency that had it's offices nearby at the old Sun Building at 280 Broadway. In the early 1990's, a good friend of mine was a Manhattan Assistant District Attorney, and I remember dining here a few times with him. As time marched forward, I started working in Brooklyn and The Bronx and never made it back here, until last night. My group of friends gets together quarterly to dine and stay in touch. Our Manhattan ADA friend left this mortal coil in 2018, and we decided to dine here as a way to stay connected with him as we expected his spirit to be present as he had dined here himself before. It was a happy and sad night. Happy to be with friends, with good food and drink, and sad, as we found out from our waiter that the building housing Forlini's was in the process of being sold and this would probably be the last night they would be open. Rest In Peace Forlini's. You had a good run. Until we meet again.....

Forlini 's is a Downtown Courthouse institution which was until recently relatively unknown to the Gentrifiers and tourists. I wonder why this is so? Certainly not because of the food, which is terrific. All of the pastas, sauces, and desserts are delicious. Their steaks and veal and seafood are expertly sourced Certainly not due to the service which is absolutely professional, no nonsense and pleasant. Certainly not due to the price which offers extraordinary value. Certainly not due to the location, which for years has made it the lunchtime Go To for the Judges, Attornies and Court Staff who work nearby nor its proximity to Chinatown, SoHo, NoLita and Little Italy. No, the reason the trendies ignored the place is due to the old school vintage decor. Yes, although the place dates back 60 years, it 's most recent renovation was likely in the late 70s and the place does have that Suburban Continental look which just isn 't gonna cut it for the pretentious aesthetes who tend to only frequent places where the look is right and the owners and customers all look just like them. Y 'all need to get over to Forlini 's pronto before New York 's old school Genuine Italian American standouts all disappear.