I can’t remember when but Brooklyn started to become a better place to dine and drink than Manhattan. The restaurants are not overly priced and the food is fresh. It is never pretentious but still has its style. And Lilia proves to be the case.
Lilia Ristorante is an Italian restaurant where they use wood fired seafood, homemade pastas and amazing cocktails (especially martinis). It used to be an auto shop renovated as a restaurant. It’s a great addition of keeping the neighborhood’s vibe. The dining room reminds me of a beach house in Hamptons. It is airy and lofty, and you don’t feel cramped even on a busy day. The kitchen is open so if you sit at the bar, you can actually see you food getting cooked.
LOCATION
It is close to Bedford ave in Williamsburg (L train). Check out the map below. Y’all will already know well about Williamsburg, cause it’s been around the block for being cool and hip, but if you want to understand more here is a good link. Also, if you haven’t booked a hotel yet, check out one of the coolest hotel right now in Williamsburg, William Vale Hotel here.
Lilia Ristorante is famous for their wood fired grilled seafood and fresh pastas
You have to order the wood fired seafood from shrimps to clams. You can actually see them putting it on the grill and watching them do that gives you the smile and excitement. It is the dopest on the ropest (like how Kim Kardashian said when she was only 14). And it is so instagrammable
What more do we need? YAS QUEEN! But for real, the clams were so juicy and moist I wish I had another dish. The chili sauce had a sweet but a good kick with a heat. It was so cold that day, I wish I was in a tropical island where a hot man would delivery a tray of Lilia clams.
Clams Are Two Thumbs Up and the Shrimps Are Two Thumbs Up X Two Thumbs Up
After looking at my clams getting grilled on the fire, I had to try the shrimps as well. I thought the clams were amazing, but the shrimp is something else. I usually don’t like eating the head of the shrimp, but i couldn’t help but suck the brains out of prawns. It was fresh like you just caught it from the sea. And the head tasted like you magically grilled the ocean. If you are planning to order just one appetizer, I would definitely order the shrimp instead of the clams. But if you can, order both of them, cause grilled seafood at Lilia Ristorante is the best.
Lilia Ristorante is an Italian Restaurant that focuses on seafood and also pastas, and it is known for their freshly made pastas. So, I ordered Fettuccine, with Spicy Lamb Sausage, Tomato Passato and Fennel Seed. It was so soft and easy to eat. This was like the ultimate comfort food in a hip + upscale restaurant. Usually when I crave some lamb ragu pasta, I go to Ruby’s in Soho which gives me the comfort and happiness. But I have found another place for a pasta with lamb sausage, Lilia Ristorante. We also tried Black Bass with Salsa Verde and it was fantastic but a bit smaller portion than I expected.
Order Martinis and You Will Not Regret the Choice You Made
At last, the most important part of all this review should be about the drinks! We started with white wine, but ended up having two glasses of martini. I have had my share of martinis, but Lilia probably is the best, especially in terms of how they present it. It was the best. They give a chilling glass and a martini glass, so rather than your martini sitting out and getting warmer, it keeps it cool. So whenever you are done with the martini in your glass, you can pour more from the chilling glass, and your martini will still be cold after an hour. I thought it was a brilliant idea. You know, how many times that our cocktails get warm when we drink slow!
If you have decided to visit or stay in Williamsburg, please do try Lilia Ristorante. I highly recommend!
Related: If You Want to Go for Another Drink, Try William Vale hotel Roof Top. It is Breathe taking!
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Address: 567 Union Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 11222
Phone: 718 576 3095
Website: heep://www.lilianewyork.com/