Ci Siamo

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

The Name Says It All

Ci Siamo — pronounced chee see-AH-mo — is one of those Italian phrases that carries more weight than a direct translation can hold. "Here we are. We've finally arrived." It's the clink of glasses after a long week, the exhale of stepping somewhere that feels both new and familiar. That spirit runs through every corner of this Italian restaurant at 440 West 33rd Street, in the heart of Manhattan West.

Ci Siamo is a collaboration between Executive Chef Hillary Sterling and Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group — a pairing that brings serious culinary intention together with a reputation for genuine hospitality.

Chef Hillary Sterling and the Fire Behind the Food

Sterling's cooking is rooted in extensive travel through Italy, and the menu reflects that firsthand knowledge rather than a generic approximation of the cuisine. Her approach is straightforward: seasonal ingredients, purposeful preparations, and the honest intensity that only live-fire cooking delivers. The result bridges traditional Italian technique with a contemporary sensibility — nothing showy, nothing superfluous.

The Italian menu moves from antipasti and wood-fired breads through housemade pasta and into mains built around the grill and the flame. Cast Iron Focaccia with tomato conserva and Gnocco Fritto with goat gouda anchor the opening. Pasta courses — Rigatoni alla Gricia with guanciale and black pepper, Cavatelli allo Scoglio with crab, chili, and vermouth, and a simple Tagliatelle with tomato and buffalo butter — demonstrate the range from Roman classicism to coastal brightness. From the fire come dishes like Wood Fired Whole Trout with pine nuts and mustard greens, and a Bistecca alla Fiorentina finished with rosemary salt.

Sterling has also channeled her cooking philosophy into a debut cookbook, Ammazza!, published by Simon & Schuster — a project years in the making that traces the traditions and travels shaping her kitchen.

The Space and the Wine

The dining room at Manhattan West offers floor-to-ceiling windows, views of the Empire State Building, and an adjacent outdoor terrace — a setting that earns its occasion without demanding one. Private dining options include a dedicated bar and the terrace for more intimate gatherings.

The wine program earned a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence, a recognition that reflects the depth and curation of an Italian-focused list built to match the food's regional range. Aperitivo is available in the bar and lounge Monday through Friday, making Ci Siamo as suited to a late-afternoon Negroni and Mortadella con Pistacchio as it is to a full dinner.