After heading to first Friday at the Neue Gallery when the museum is open free to the public from 6 to 8, we were looking for a place to get a bite and  to rest our tired feet. Don’t miss the current exhibit “Gustav Klimt and Adele Bloch-Bauer: The Woman in Gold,” which will be open through September 7, 2015.

A couple blocks away we found Caffe Grazie, a cozy place with friendly service and large semi-circular cushioned booths where conversation was easy. While we sipped an elegant Sangiovese — Chianti classico ($44) Bramosia 2012, we dipped our sliced Italian bread into the offered fruity olive oil with a dollop of sun-dried tomatoes.

The food was just fine, but nothing to rave about. Their grilled octopus ($16) tentacles sat atop a lukewarm potato salad accompanied by a grilled lemon; and, the two small crab cakes ($18) were drizzled with a roasted red pepper aioli, served with a corn and tomato salad hidden under some greens. Both dishes cried out for seasoning. Their simple Margherita pizza, (tomato sauce, basil and mozzarella, $21) lacked a crisp crust and flavorful sauce.
– bonnie

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Caffe Grazie
Upper East Side
26 E 84th St
(Between Madison and Fifth)
New York, NY 10028
(212) 717-4407
Caffe Grazie on Urbanspoon