#InauguralReview #Giardino54 Since 2018 by #DorianGashi and #AndreaGiacomoni #400.5 West 54th Street at Ninth Avenue #Italian #HellsKitchen #Manhattan
Peachy's favorite: Bistecca con Patate!
The Ossobuco is also deserving of your attention, and Peachy sipped on a divine Vermentino
Considering all of the Italian cuisine we've had over the last seventeen years, it is arguably the most difficult to earn an inaugural review if you are an Italian restaurant.
However, if you are Dorian Gashi and Andrea Giacomoni, who have previously earned accolades for Medi earlier this year and Blue ages ago, it should come as no surprise that this unassuming superstar in Hell's Kitchen has come out on top. We were greeted by the amazing General Manager Pedro and worked closely with Dorian throughout the review on the phone. If you own more than one place and we have met you in person and your cuisine and you have proven yourself, Peachy will talk to you on the phone during a review. Right down to the fresh bread, Giardino is an undiscovered gem in Hell's Kitchen you all must flock to. We began with a gorgeous Burrata Caprese: creamy mozzarella partying with seasonal tomatoes and fresh basil and we reveled in the classic high-quality simplicity.
From every angle, the Carpaccio di Manzo is a beacon of refreshment with the succulent Beef Tenderloin sliced so superbly thin. Brilliant mushrooms accentuate its royal intrinsic flavor while arugula brightens it and parmesan again confirms that cheese indeed makes everything better. Giardino 54 is on West 54th Street, hence the 54 in the name. Its number address is four hundred and a half.
Giardino means garden, and there are five salad choices. We narrowed it down to Insalata di Cesare: Kale Caesar Salad and we particularly rejoiced in the real anchovies. Note we nearly always want the dressing on the side however with Caesar, if we have been convinced firsthand prior to our visit that we think you know what you are doing with the salad dressing (not drowning the salad!) we will order it dressed. It was perfection.
The pasta selection is all high-performance: Risotto ai Funghi is ideal for an overcast day because it will make the sun come out on your tastebuds. The nuanced depth of flavor is fabulously laudable and the extra cheese elevates the experience. Giardino's menu is Italian in general, not a specific region and they focus on homemade high quality cuisine. Lasagna all'Emiliana is a divine classic beef ragu Lasagna that is not only beautifully presented as you see below, and note we never edit pictures: you excel like Dorian and Andrea or we do not publish, but also is a wonderfully layered bastion of goodness evocative of the Giardino 54 creativity.
The Bistecca con Patate is absolutely the King of the Mountain of the menu in our humble opinion. The succulent eight ounce skirt steak is absolutely commanding of your attention with the premium chimichurri sauce, the best we have had anywhere at all in 2026. This sauce is rarely done this well across the board, and the pictures indicate its greatness. Wait until you taste it. It also was perfectly medium rare as ordered by the Picky One who has published the 31,000 posts and counting. Also, as she has resided in Ireland she is a potato expert, and the mashed fingerling potatoes playing hide and seek with you are also totally up to snuff.
Sides at Giardino are spectacular, namely the Roasted Brussel Sprouts which up the dinner festivities any time of year. Of course, over the years if you have ravishing deep strong Italian red, we are all about it however, on a hot day we have an eye out for Vermentino and Giardino 54 hit the high note:
If you are a pescatarian, you should get excited for the Branzino al Limone: Filet of Branzino in an intoxicatingly inviting caper-lemon sauce that confirms its freshness. Sauteed Broccoli Rabe ups the color and nutrition with panache.
And because Giardino 54 is in it to win it, Pedro suggested two other dishes we also loved and that we believe will also captivate all the other carnivorously-inclined.
Meet Costine di Bue: Braised Short Ribs, so tender!, over spicy soft polenta:
Pictures speak louder than words, readers!
Unedited of course!
...and Ossobuco alla Milanese!
This veal shank dish is only at the most competitive Italian venues and over saffron risotto, it will completely win you over. Also say hello to the super friendly professional Hugo, busboy who has a great attitude and work ethic. Make one of their 50 seats yours in this enclosed garden.
The final firework: Polipo e Patate: Seared Octopus which is perfectly tender and not at all overdone or underdone, Fingerling Potatoes, Oven-dried Plum Tomatoes, Parsley, Scallions and just the right touch of Garlic Vinaigrette further evidence why Giardino 54 is no ordinary Italian place: it's extraordinary.
Octopus Glamour Shots!
Of course, save room for Tiramisu, a fantastic rendition!
Giardino 54 impressed us on our first visit and we can't wait to see what they do next.
