I Tried One of Martha's Favorite Restaurants—and Had the Best Martini of My Life

Last week, I had the pleasure of dining at one of Martha's favorite restaurants, Elio's, located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Martha posted on her blog about her love for Elio's, sharing that she has been dining there for 35 years—and I had to try it for myself.

Established in 1981, Elio's is an iconic New York City restaurant known for its exquisite traditional Italian cuisine. She describes Elio's as a charming, old-world Italian establishment that has delighted guests since opening its doors. The friendly atmosphere has earned it the nickname of the neighborhood "clubhouse" for Upper East Side residents, featuring both indoor and outdoor seating for gathering on a cool summer day or cozy winter night.

In the blog post, Martha graciously listed everything she ordered, so of course, I wanted to try it all. The dining experience began with a warm welcome from the host, bartenders, and waiters. They guided me to the corner table where Martha likes to sit, and the bartender, Brien, started shaking up the perfect martini. As a New Yorker, I have tried many martinis, and I can confidently say this is one of the best I have ever had. From the perfectly chilled glass to the fragrant lemon peel, Elio's truly knows best.

I ordered everything Martha wrote about in her blog, with the addition of a few other items on the menu that caught my eye. I had the lasagna bolognese, beef carpaccio, vitello tonnato, green beans, and shrimp and white bean salad. In addition to the perfect martini, I ordered the sweet tea—because Martha did.

Each dish was absolutely delicious. My favorites were the lasagna bolognese and the beef carpaccio. The lasagna was rich in flavor with the perfect cheese-to-meat-sauce ratio. Beef carpaccio is one of my favorite appetizers to enjoy when dining out, and Elio's took it to the next level. Under the thinly sliced beef was a bed of arugula dressed with freshly squeezed lemon juice, topped with truffle salt. Truly, chef's kiss.

If anyone knows good food, it's Martha. So while I am not surprised that Elio's is known to have some of the best Italian cuisine in the city, I was especially enamored with the incredibly warm and accommodating staff who make all their guests feel at home. It's no wonder Martha has been coming here for years.