If you haven’t discovered Café Paradiso at Lincoln Center to grab a bite before your performance, I highly recommend. It’s a gem.

The restaurant is conveniently nestled in Lincoln Center on the campus, next to the Film at Lincoln Center screening room.  The owner, restaurateur Shelly Fireman, owns Cafe Fiorello across from Lincoln Center, Trattoria Dell’Arte,  Bond 45 and more.

The food blends Italian and American foods with love; Fireman spent 35 years living in Italy and was raised in the Bronx.

We started with one of their refreshing spritzes. My dining partner had a Paradiso Spritz with Aperol, passion fruit and Prosecco ($15). I ordered a regular Aperol one without the added sweetness. We were both happy. We requested from our quirky and efficient server, that he bring our food in courses. He obliged.

From there, we first shared the unusual quinoa salad ($16.50), served as a molded timbal, with mashed avocado, orange, minced hazelnuts, dried cranberries and watermelon radishes. We didn’t care that it had no menu-described mixed greens; we consumed and savored every morsel.

We followed that with their eggplant parmigiana, which the menu described as vegetable lasagna with Pomodoro sauce, mozzarella and fresh basil. One of the lightest — unlayered— and most delectable I’ve sampled in a long time! with just thin strips of eggplant simmered in a chunky tomato sauce topped with a dab of mozzarella.

Then, off to see the amazing New York City Ballet performing all Stravinsky at the David Koch Theater.

Café Paradiso
Lincoln Center
144 W 65th St
New York, NY United States 10023
(212) 869-8800
cafeparadisonyc.com/