Parm Restaurant Vesey Street Review: Italian-American Classics in Battery Park City

Years ago, my first visit to the original Parm on Mulberry Street came with high expectations, fueled by a glowing two-star review from Pete Wells of the New York Times. The concept of thoughtfully crafted Italian-American classics was undeniably appealing. However, the experience fell short. I recall an unremarkable eggplant parm sandwich, a side of cold broccoli rabe, and service that was a mix of indifference and abruptness. It was, to put it mildly, forgettable.

Parm Brookfield Place door

Despite that initial disappointment, the buzz around Parm persisted, and my anticipation grew again with the opening of their Battery Park City location on Vesey Street. Entering the L-shaped space, accessible from Vesey Street or through 250 Vesey, reveals a divided layout. The front area features high tables – expect more crowding during dinner – a curved bar with seating for around 30, a couple of TVs, and a substantial takeout counter. The back room, which was partially opened during my initial visit and is now fully operational, offers a more traditional dining space with tables and booths.

Parm Brookfield Place dine-in menu

The décor at Parm Restaurant Vesey Street leans heavily into Italian-American kitsch. Red is the dominant color, reminiscent of a Target store, combined with Formica surfaces, tin ceilings, vintage-style wallpaper, stacks of tomato cans, and classic oldies playing on the sound system. While this style might feel genuinely charming in a Little Italy tenement, it translates somewhat differently within a modern 1980s office complex. The intended homage or ironic interpretation can come across as slightly perfunctory in this setting.

Parm Battery Park City fried zucchini2

However, the ambiance is likely secondary for most diners at Parm Restaurant Vesey Street. The menu, a celebration of “bro-heaven” fare, emphasizes sandwiches (also available as bread-less platters), alongside a selection of starters, salads, pastas, and entrées (dine-in only). During my first lunch visit, eager to sample a range, I ordered the fried zucchini, an eggplant parm sandwich, and a side of garlic broccoli. Adding to the indulgence, Parm offered a complimentary fried mozzarella stick as an amuse-bouche.

The fried zucchini, cut into delicate matchsticks, was perfectly cooked and enhanced by a delightful scattering of fried herbs. The eggplant parm sandwich was a significant improvement over my previous experience, truly marvelous. My only suggestion would be to serve it on a plate rather than a paper-lined plastic basket. The sandwich’s generous filling meant the latter half became a knife-and-fork affair, and cutting often resulted in inadvertently cutting through the paper lining as well. Unfortunately, the garlic broccoli was the only dish that disappointed, consisting predominantly of stems, as captured in the photos below.

Parm Brookfield Place broccoli

Parm Brookfield Place broccoli2

On the positive side, the service at Parm Vesey Street, while not overly polished, is delivered with genuine enthusiasm.

Bartender: May I interest you in dessert?
Me: No way! I ate so much!
Bartender: Well for future reference we have our ice cream cakes—
Me: Oh, God, please stop.
Bartender: Well, you can read the menu for yourself.

Parm Battery Park City penne pesto shrimp

Returning to Parm Restaurant Vesey Street for dinner another evening, aiming for a somewhat lighter meal, I initially requested a table. However, the counter-height two-tops in the front room felt too close to other diners, so I opted for the bar again. The music selection had progressed to the Michael Jackson and Robert Palmer era. I ordered a beet Negroni, a salad of arugula and figs, and the penne with shrimp and pesto. While noting that the menu should specify the figs are dried, the entire meal was delicious. The penne pasta was notably thick, almost like cavatelli, possibly handmade. The shrimp was cooked perfectly and tasted distinctly of shrimp. Remarkably, the pasta arrived at a truly hot temperature – a welcome rarity in many restaurants.

Bartender: And our third ice cream cake flavor tonight is the Firecracker, with cherry, lemon, and blue raspberry.
Me: What the hell is a blue raspberry?
Bartender: Good question.
Me: It’s an Icee flavor.

Bartender #2: I understand you have a question about our Firecracker cake.
Me: I do! What the hell is a blue raspberry?
Bartender #2: The Firecracker is fruitier than the other desserts. It’s meant to be like the Firecracker Popsicle.

With mozzarella sticks, “Addicted to Love” playing in the background, kitschy cocktails, and desserts inspired by Popsicles and Carvel, Parm Restaurant Vesey Street represents a complete turnaround from my initial impression of the original Parm. While the concept might feel a little dated, the food is consistently excellent. It’s more refined and better executed than the décor or even the menu might suggest. As Parm expands, I hope they maintain the food quality and avoid compromising on ingredients or preparation.

Parm cheese sandwich

P.S. The menu mentions “Calamari: Check the sign,” but there was no sign visible. Upon asking, the bartender’s response about peppers in the dish was a bit of a non sequitur.

P.P.S. The takeout counter’s build-your-own sandwich option is intriguing. If pickles were added to that menu, I would become a regular. Update: A recent takeout hero with cheddar, lettuce, tomato, avocado, mayo, and mustard, along with a single Pellegrino, cost $21.78. Prices aren’t posted, and the cheese and tomato were thinly sliced and sparsely portioned. Consider yourself warned regarding the value of the takeout sandwiches.

P.P.P.S. Parm Restaurant Battery Park City does accept limited reservations via email at [email protected] or through OpenTable, but primarily operates on a first-come, first-served basis.

P.P.P.P.S. Parm is likely already popular with families and children, and rightfully so. While there isn’t a dedicated children’s menu, one isn’t really necessary given the approachable and crowd-pleasing options.

UPDATE 7/16: On a subsequent dinner visit with Adam, we were served garlic bread instead of the mozzarella stick, without explanation.

Parm is located at 250 Vesey St., New York, NY 10281 (between West St. and North End Ave.), phone 212-776-4927; parmnyc.com.

Parm Brookfield Place bar2