Pisticci: A Morningside Heights Trattoria With a Weekday 5pm Happy Hour
Pisticci is a Southern Italian trattoria on La Salle Street, a short block off Broadway between Columbia and 125th Street. Happy hour runs Monday to Friday from 5 to 6:30pm, the first stretch of dinner service.
This is a neighborhood pasta spot, not a cocktail bar. The draw is the kitchen: pappardelle bolognese, rigatoni alla vodka, burrata caprese and a coconut cake regulars keep bringing up. Get in at 5 for a drink while the room is quiet, and order dinner once it fills.
The Happy Hour
Monday to Friday, 5–6:30pm, the 90 minutes after the kitchen reopens for dinner. There’s no happy hour on weekends, when the afternoon goes to brunch (11am–3pm). Pisticci takes reservations, which is worth doing on a Friday. The venue doesn’t post its happy-hour pricing, so confirm what’s on the list when you sit down.
The Room
The dining room is half a level below the street. It’s homey and low-key, with more seating than the entrance suggests. The venue hosts live music in its cellar on Mondays. The 1 train at 125 St is about two blocks away.
Who Pisticci Is For
| Occasion | Why It Works |
|---|---|
| A drink after class or work near Columbia | Weekday happy hour starts at 5, two blocks from the 1 train at 125 St |
| An early, unhurried dinner | Arrive for happy hour at 5, then stay for pasta before the room fills |
| Parents visiting campus | A sit-down trattoria that takes reservations, with fair prices and a menu that suits everyone |
| Monday night out | Weekday happy hour plus live music in the cellar on Mondays |