The Kitchen
Lilia opened in 2016 in a converted 1920s auto-body shop at 567 Union Avenue in Williamsburg. It is Missy Robbins's restaurant, the one she opened after years cooking Italian in Manhattan, and the one that made her name in Brooklyn. No Michelin star — Robbins earned hers earlier, at A Voce — but three stars from The New York Times and one of the hardest tables in the city. The pasta is why.
Order the mafaldini with pink peppercorn and Parmesan. Frilly ribbons, a creamy and peppery sauce, bold without weight: it is the dish people cross the river for and the clearest thing the kitchen says. Add the clam linguine and something off the wood-fired grill, and a crudo to start. Pastas run around $26; expect roughly $80 to $110 a head before wine. Nothing arrives overworked.
The room is loud, warm and full — wood fire at one end, an open kitchen, banquettes that fill by seven. This is not museum-piece Italian held at a distance. It is the food Robbins wants to eat, cooked the same way every night, which is the highest compliment the format allows.
Best for a First Date
Book Lilia for a first date if you can land the table. The room runs warm and busy enough to take the pressure off, the shared pastas give you a reason to lean in, and Robbins's cooking makes the impression for you. It is not quiet and not cheap, but it is memorable in the right way. Reserve about four weeks out, or take two seats at the bar on a weeknight.
Not for
Skip Lilia if you need a quiet, last-minute, or low-key dinner. The room is loud and runs at pace, the reservation drops weeks ahead and vanishes in minutes, and a four-top conversation competes with the noise. It is also not a tasting-menu occasion — it is a la carte and turns tables. For calm and spontaneity, look elsewhere in Williamsburg.
Also in New York City
Explore the full New York City restaurant guide, or compare it with L'Artusi and the city's other first-date rooms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Lilia have a Michelin star?
No. Lilia is not Michelin-starred. Chef Missy Robbins held Michelin stars earlier in her career at A Voce, but Lilia's acclaim comes from elsewhere — three stars from The New York Times and a reputation as one of the hardest tables in Brooklyn since it opened in 2016. The pasta, not a star, is the draw.
What should I order?
The mafaldini with pink peppercorn and Parmesan is the signature — frilly ribbons in a creamy, peppery sauce, the dish people travel for. Round it out with the clam linguine, another house pasta, and something from the wood-fired and crudo sections. Pastas run around $26; expect roughly $80 to $110 a head before wine.
How hard is it to get a reservation?
Hard. Reservations open on a rolling window on Resy and disappear within minutes; aim about four weeks out and log on the moment they drop. The bar and the sidewalk tables take some walk-ins, and a solo seat at the bar is the realistic way in on short notice. Weeknights beat weekends.
Is Lilia good for a first date?
Yes, if you can get in. The converted auto-body-shop room is warm and full of energy, the pastas are made to share, and Robbins's cooking makes an impression without trying. It is not cheap or quiet, but it is memorable. Book well ahead, or take two seats at the bar.