Mark Barak opened La Pecora Bianca at 1133 Broadway in 2015, trading a corporate career for an all-day Italian room in NoMad. The kitchen, developed by chef Cruz Goler, a Lupa alumnus, makes its pasta in-house daily: the rigatoni alla vodka with stracciatella runs about $27, the cacio e pepe about $24. It is not a starred dining room and never pretended to be — the pitch is consistency at a neighbourhood price, a few blocks north of Madison Square Park.
The Kitchen
Founder Mark Barak built La Pecora Bianca in 2015 as an all-day Italian counter-to-table room, and the menu is developed by chef Cruz Goler, who trained at Mario Batali's Lupa. The signature move is fresh pasta extruded and rolled on site each morning rather than bought in.
Order the rigatoni alla vodka, finished with a spoon of stracciatella (about $27), or the cacio e pepe (about $24); the wood-fired rotisserie chicken and the daily fish round out the savoury side. The wine list leans Italian and stays mostly under triple digits by the glass and bottle, which keeps the bill honest.
This is not fine dining and the menu does not chase Michelin attention — it is a dependable NoMad room that the surrounding media and tech offices use for lunch, after-work plates, and group dinners.
The Room
The NoMad dining room is bright by day and warm at night, with marble-topped tables, a long marble bar, and enough space between seats to talk without leaning in. Conversation stays easy; the soundtrack hums rather than roars. Dress is smart-casual — there is no jacket rule — and the bar takes walk-ins when the tables are booked.
Best for a Team Dinner
Book this room for a team dinner because the shared-pasta format feeds a table easily, the prices survive an expense check, and the NoMad address is a short walk from Flatiron and Midtown South offices. Reserve a week ahead on Resy for groups, ask for the larger banquette tables, and let the kitchen send pasta family-style.
Not for
Skip it for a milestone that needs a tasting menu and hushed service — this is a busy all-day cafe, not a destination dining room, and it runs at neighbourhood pace.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is La Pecora Bianca worth it?
Yes, for what it is: a dependable all-day Italian room in NoMad rather than a special-occasion destination. The pasta is made in-house daily and the prices are fair for the neighbourhood, with the rigatoni alla vodka around $27. Set expectations for a good neighbourhood dinner, not a Michelin night, and it delivers.
How hard is it to book La Pecora Bianca NoMad?
Not very. Tables are bookable on Resy and OpenTable, usually within a week, and the bar keeps seats for walk-ins. For groups or a team dinner, reserve seven to ten days ahead and request the banquette tables; weekday evenings are easier than Friday and Saturday.
What is the dress code at La Pecora Bianca?
Smart-casual, with no jacket requirement. The NoMad room runs all day, so you will see everything from work attire at lunch to date-night dressing in the evening. Neat jeans are fine; the bar is the most relaxed part of the room.
What is the average meal price at La Pecora Bianca?
Pastas sit roughly between $24 and $30 — cacio e pepe about $24, rigatoni alla vodka about $27 — so a pasta or entree with a glass of wine lands near $45 to $70 per person before tax and tip. Sharing pasta family-style keeps a group bill reasonable.
What should I order at La Pecora Bianca?
Start with the house-made pasta: the rigatoni alla vodka with stracciatella and the cacio e pepe are the reliable orders. Add the wood-fired rotisserie chicken for the table, and ask the floor for the day's fish. The Italian-leaning wine list has fair by-the-glass pours.
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