Gno kidding! How gnocchi became like Chipotle as the hottest grab-and-go food in NYC

New York is a paradise of quick bites, from world-class pizza slices to hot dogs with all the trimmings, but a really good plate of pasta is typically reserved for a nice night out at an Italian restaurant.

However, with the cost of dining out higher than ever, big eaters in the Big Apple no longer have to book a table.

These days, you can find some of the best gnocchi at a takeout-only spot in the East Village — no white tablecloths in sight. In fact, no tables at all.

“Everything is going this way now because of the economy,” Michele Iuliano, the executive chef of Gnoccheria by Luzzo’s told The Post. “People don’t want to spend the money.”

Gnocchi on 9th has a sea of hungry people lined up for $10 pasta — which became a TikTok sensation overnight thanks to its oft-sold-out star attraction, served in a Chinese-takeout-style container.

Co-owner Ariel Strizower didn’t initially plan on opening a takeout-only spot, but he and co-owner Michael Salzano bonded over the city’s “complete lack” of takeout pasta options.

“You want Italian on the go, it’s pretty much just pizza, and if you wanted pasta, you’d have to sit down and have a full-on meal and pay whatever they’re going to charge you in a restaurant,” Strizower told The Post.

Their solution? Open a quick, affordable way to get on-the-go pasta — specifically, plump gnocchi like grandma used to make.

“Gnocchi lends itself more to portability than eating spaghetti or fettuccine out of a box. It’s a small, bite-sized pasta,” Strizower explained.

Gnocchi on 9th is now one of a handful of fast-casual options in Manhattan — like Bigoi Venezia on the Upper East Side, or Pasta de Pasta, also in the East Village.

After opening the grab-and-go joint at 319 E. 9th St. in April, they’ve since expanded with two more locations in Manhattan — Orchard Street on the Lower East Side and Columbus Avenue on the Upper West Side.

Gaga for gnocchi

Walk around 9th Street around dinnertime, and it’s likely you’ll spot someone eating one of the four gnocchi options — Al Pomodoro ($10), Alla Vodka ($10), Al Pesto ($11) and Black Truffle Cacio e Pepe ($14) — out of a takeout container in the street.

“It’s just an easy decision. [Customers are] not dedicating any time to it and it’s not taking a lot of money out of your pocket,” Strizower said. “You’re going to get a good meal, you’re going to be able to walk around with it and you can get on with your day.”

Recently, high schoolers Toni Hill and Elizabeth Chi had finished up class for the day and were looking for a cheap, quick bite.

“This is our first time here,” Hill, 18, told The Post, as she and Chi, 17, smiled with their to-go gnocchi. “It was close by,” she said, and Chi added that they “found it through an Instagram reel.”

“After about two or three weeks, one of our regular customers came in and asked if she could make a video of us making our food, which then blew up on TikTok, unbeknownst to us,” Strizower said.

“The next day we sold out, the day after that we sold out. We just had no idea what was going on, and and it hasn’t really stopped since then,” Strizower added.

Strizower believes the appeal is a combination of the “cute” takeout container, the option for burrata (an extra $3) and the price for a filling dish — especially in Manhattan where the cost of living is “out of control.”

“That we are charging just $10 is eye-catching,” he said. “That was what kind of helped us get our foot in the door with people, and then they were able to see that on top of the $10 price tag, we were making a really delicious product.”

Nora, Maria and Dima — a group of girls who stumbled upon the spot by chance — saw there was a line outside and noticed it smelled good, so they wanted to try it out.

“It tastes homemade,” they agreed, as they all shared the large portion. “I’m a picky eater and don’t even like Italian food, but this is delicious.”

“People are just happy to have something different,” Strizower said, sharing that he has come across many people who have never had gnocchi before. “It’s something new.”

Gnoc show

Restaurants are taking note — just blocks away at the decidedly sit-down Gnoccheria, best known for its $42 pasta trio, Anisa Moloney-Iuliano and her husband Michele said they were responding to the trend when they decided to open a new takeout-only spot, Gnoccheria on the Go, on Wall Street.

“There was a high demand because not so many people can go to Gnoccheria. We’re not open for lunch and we were getting so many requests, so we decided to do a takeout station and that became extremely popular,” Anisa told The Post.

“Gnocchi puts a smile on the face,” he added.

As for whether the trend of takeout pasta is here to stay, Strizower thinks it could actually be a “new staple.”

“Maybe it’s just going to be a new form of accepted and expected takeout to be available in the city, because until now, it was just not available. It was not thought of as an option,” he shared. “Now we’ve shown it can be done… and it can be done for a great price.”

Michele agrees, adding that it might eventually become the new dollar slice.

“If I want pasta, I go to a restaurant and it’s $30. I go to Gnoccheria on the Go, I pay $9-10.”

“And you’re still getting the same quality gnocchi that we have in the restaurant,” Anisa added.