Is there a greater comfort food in the world than lasagna? Hot, creamy, gooey, and saucy, it’s filling and warming and can feed the whole family in one dish. Lockdown made New Yorkers crave lasagna like never before, and while it’s easy enough to make at home, some of the city’s Italian restaurants make some incredible versions. Pasta stalwarts like Carmine’s, Don Angie, and Bronx Little Italy’s Antonio’s Trattoria have always offered lasagna, while newcomers like Rezdôra and Leonelli added it to the menu during the pandemic. And at least one former favorite has risen from the ashes: Brucie’s in Brooklyn was known for their excellent lasagna but closed in 2016. Now, chef and owner Zahra Tangorra runs a weekly lasagna pop-up that has quickly earned a loyal following. And even though there are plenty of restaurants that have a single piece of lasagna on the menu, these spots specialize in family-sized (big and small) trays to reheat and eat at home, with everyone in your pod.
Don Angie's pinwheel-style lasagna. Credit: Courtesy of Don Angie
As soon as Don Angie opened in the West Village in 2017, its pinwheel-style lasagna was a hit. Traditional and innovative at the same time, the lasagna rolls are made with a Bolognese besciamella and a Bolognese-style ragù, but they add Italian sausage to the ragù, and use mozzarella and Parmigiano along with the besciamella. The lasagna rolls are baked in a tomato sauce made with San Marzano DOP tomatoes and topped with dollops of Robiolina cheese. Right now, you can order the lasagna via their website for take-out or delivery as part of a meal for two ($95) that also includes Chrysanthemum Salad, Garlic Foccacia, and Black Cocoa Tiramisu.
Rezdôra Lasagna Bolognese for two. Credit: Courtesy of Rezdôra
This Gramercy restaurant devoted to the cuisine of Emilia Romagna unsurprisingly makes a fantastic lasagna that they began serving during the pandemic as a take-home item. Chef Stefano Secchil’s Lasagna Bolognese is a classic Emilia Romagna version with a ragù bolognese, bechamel, and Parmigiano. It serves two people ($39) and customers can order it for take-out or delivery on the restaurant’s website, either as hot and ready-to-eat or to be baked at home.
Kimika crispy rice cake lasagna. Credit: Evan Sung
If you’re not a traditionalist, then you’ve got to try Japanese-Italian restaurant Kimika’s version of lasagna. The Crispy Rice Cake Lasagna comes as part of a meal kit that began as a pandemic offering and includes rice cakes to be crisped in a pan, with the other ingredients—including sweet Italian sausage, spicy cabbage, scallions, and provolone—prepped and ready for mixing and layering. Also in the kit, which serves two to four people ($155), is tuna tartare, pizzette fritte, crispy beans with furikake, porchetta, and more for a complete meal. Preorder on Resy and pick up on Fridays between 2 and 4 p.m.
Gramercy Tavern mushroom lasagna. Credit: Chris Montgomery, courtesy of Baldor Specialty Foods.
A beloved New York restaurant’s revered mushroom lasagna is now available to eat at home thanks to Baldor, the wholesale market supplier that now offers direct-to-consumer delivery (another pandemic pivot), including prepared foods from certain NYC restaurants. This white family-sized lasagna is loaded with roasted mushrooms mixed into a buttery mushroom sauce and then the whole thing is layered between sheets of homemade pasta, along with creamy ricotta, and nutty Grana Padano. The mushroom lasagna ($80) serves four people and is delivered cold, to be reheated at home. Order on Baldor for delivery.
Leonelli lasagna. Credit: Courtesy of Leonelli
If you’re feeding a crowd, consider ordering a family-sized lasagna from Leonelli, located adjacent to Madison Square Park. Michelin-starred chef Jonathan Benno’s rich lasagna features homemade spinach pasta sheets, creamy besciamella, and a beef, pork, and veal ragù. When you order a whole lasagna for eight ($170) for pick-up or delivery on their website, it comes with a large misticanza salad and a full sheet of their addictive pizza bianca focaccia.
Citeralla lasagna. Credit: Courtesy of Citeralla
This gourmet market with locations in the West Village, Upper East Side, and Upper West Side started delivering via Seamless last year. On the prepared foods menu is a lasagna for 3-4 people ($17.99) made with house-ground beef that’s seasoned with Italian herbs, house-made tomato sauce, rich béchamel, and mozzarella. Order for delivery or pick-up.
ZaZa Lazagna. Credit: Devorah Lev-Tov
In 2010, Zahra Tangorra opened Brucie’s in a basement space on Court Street in Cobble Hill. Her lasagna quickly became a cult favorite and she even started a program where diners could bring in their own pans and the cook would make a lasagna directly in the dish for the customer to bring home. Now, five years after Brucie’s closed, Tangorra has started a lasagna pop-up called Za Za Lazagna. Every week customers can preorder between Saturday and Tuesday and pick it up from Shelsky’s (also on Court Street) on Friday evenings. Every week on their Instagram they share the menu, which always includes a classic meatless lasagna made with ricotta, mozzarella, provolone, and red sauce and a special like vodka sauce lasagna with peas or Lasagna alla Amatricana. Lasagna comes whole (from $40) or by the slice (from $14) and sides like garlic bread and meatballs and a dessert are also available. Follow the instructions on their Instagram story highlights and order via DM.
Carmine's lasagna. Credit: Courtesy of Carmine's
Classic family-style Italian restaurant Carmine’s offers a lasagna for four ($34.95) that’s available for takeout and delivery. It’s made with heaping amounts of ricotta, a robust tomato sauce, and a mixture of veal and ground beef. Order on their website from the Upper West Side location.
Mille Nonne lasagna. Credit: Courtesy of Mille Nonne
Whether you’re vegetarian or craving a meaty lasagna, Mille Nonne has you covered. The creamy vegetarian version has five layers of ricotta and spinach and house-made lactose-free béchamel, homemade tomato sauce, and Pecorino Romano cheese, while the meat version has five layers of slow-cooked organic turkey meat sauce and a house-made béchamel. Both are available by the single portion ($13) or as a small tray ($22) that serves two to three people and can be ordered on Mercato for delivery. Co-owned by Italian native and chef Pilar Rigon and her husband, Mille Nonne opened at the end of 2019 inside the new Essex Market on the Lower East Side.
Antonio's Trattoria lasagna. Courtesy: Antonio's Trattoria
The Lasagna Di Casa at this old school spot on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx is served by the single portion (from $19) as well as by the half-tray ($80) and full tray ($150). Sheets of pasta are layered with ground meat, ricotta, mozzarella, Romano cheese, and plum tomato sauce. Order for takeout or delivery by calling 718-733-6630 or emailing info@antoniostrattoria.com.
This charming Park Slope spot serving classic Italian dishes started offering family-size meals to eat at home during the pandemic via their Pantry Menu. As long as you pre-order 48 hours in advance, you can have a whole ($160) or half-tray ($85) of lasagna, serving 16 or eight people respectively. Add on sides and appetizers like sautéed broccoli rabe, soup, or salad, plus tiramisù for dessert and reheat everything at home. Order in person or call 718-369-2154.