LaRina Pastificio & Vino

LaRina Pastificio & Vino, Brooklyn: Should You Book?

LaRina sits on Myrtle Ave in Fort Greene at a price point that keeps it firmly in neighborhood-restaurant territory — the kind of place where you spend what you'd expect at a solid Italian spot without any upscale theatre tax. For explorers who care about what's in the glass as much as what's on the plate, that positioning is worth paying attention to. Italian-leaning wine programs at this tier in Brooklyn tend to skew either too safe (house Pinot Grigio and done) or too precious (minimal-intervention bottles nobody asked for). LaRina has built a reputation as a pastificio first, but the wine list is what gives it staying power as a repeat destination.

The room itself is compact and deliberately casual — the kind of narrow, warmly lit Brooklyn dining room where tables are close enough that you'll hear your neighbor's order. That spatial intimacy is a feature for a date or a two-leading dinner with someone you want to actually talk to; it's a constraint if you're arriving with four or more. Counter seating, when available, puts you close to the kitchen energy without being in it. If you're going for drinks-first, arrive early: the room fills quickly on weekends and the bar area is not built to absorb a crowd waiting for tables.

The drinks program is where LaRina earns its place among Brooklyn's more food-serious bars. The wine selection tilts toward Italian regions that don't show up on every neighborhood list , the kind of curation that signals someone is actually paying attention rather than filling slots. For cocktail depth, LaRina isn't trying to compete with Amor y Amargo or Attaboy NYC on technical ambition, but the aperitivo-adjacent drinks fit the food format well. This is a wine-and-pasta operation, and the program is calibrated accordingly.

Booking is easy relative to most destination restaurants in New York City. Walk-ins are plausible on weeknights; weekends warrant a reservation. For explorers building an itinerary, LaRina pairs well with a broader evening in Fort Greene rather than a standalone destination trip. Check our full New York City bars guide and our full New York City restaurants guide for context on how it fits the wider scene. If you're also planning hotels, our full New York City hotels guide covers options across boroughs. For anything beyond dining, see our full New York City experiences guide.

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