The Iconic NYC Restaurant That Sells Its Italian Sauces Nationwide
New York City is one of the most iconic food cities in the world, with a melting pot of unique cuisines to try on any given day. One type of cuisine that tops that list — though the high-end American steakhouse might like a word — is Italian. Tripadvisor lists nearly 1,300 Italian restaurants in the Big Apple, and one of the most famous is no doubt Carbone.
Though not near as historical as other Italian restaurants in New York City – like Rao's, for example, which has been around since 1806 — Carbone has made a huge impact since it first opened in 2013. Founded by Jeff Zalaznick, chef Mario Carbone, and chef Rich Torrisi, Carbone is known for its modern nod to classic mafia-inspired Italian-American restaurants from the mid-1900s. The restaurant specializes in dishes that feature its famous red sauce, like the spicy rigatoni vodka, an iconic chicken parm, and spaghetti puttanesca.
Like Rao's, Carbone has become so famous for its red sauce that the sauce is now sold nationwide. On its website, the restaurant offers marinara, arrabbiata, tomato basil, roasted garlic, and a mushroom-based red sauce. You can also order the spicy vodka sauce, original pizza sauce, and bolognese Italian simmer sauce in addition to other options.
Where else to buy Carbone's sauces, and how are they rated?
On Carbone's website, the brand only sells two-packs and four-packs of its sauces. Prices hover around $22 to $40 depending on the sauce and the total amount of jars. But you'll also find individual jars at many national grocery store chains like Kroger, Target, Walmart, and Sprouts. For example, Carbone's Spicy Vodka sauce ranges from around $8 to $10 for a 24-ounce jar, depending on your location. This is a useful option if you only have the budget (or interest) for one jar at a time.
We've had plenty of experience trying out Carbone's sauces, and we'll confirm that this is an outstanding option when you're looking for a high quality red sauce. We thought the brand's marinara sauce was the second best out of 14 store-bought sauces we tried. We even enjoyed the Alfredo sauce, ranking it third out of nine Alfredo sauce brands. Redditors feel the same way, with one commenting on the spicy vodka sauce: "It doesn't taste exactly like the restaurant version, but it's not bad at all. It's still a good vodka sauce." A group of professional YouTubers also had plenty of positive comments about Carbone's range of sauces, but noted that the brand's regular vodka sauce topped their list.
While it's no surprise that one of New York City's most famous Italian restaurants knows how to make an outstanding red sauce, it's quite an accomplishment to also offer a somewhat comparable sauce in jarred form. No doubt, if you're in New York City, it's a restaurant that's not to be missed if you're okay with the prices. But, even at home, you can make a solid homemade version of Carbone's famous dishes — like the spicy rigatoni — using the store-bought sauce.