Tessa Upper West Side Hours and What to Order

Tessa Upper West Side is a candlelit French and Italian date night restaurant at 349 Amsterdam Ave, and the quick answer for most visitors is timing: it opens at 11 AM Tuesday through Sunday and at 4 PM on Monday. The menu leans on shared plates and house-made pastas like cacio e pepe, with grilled octopus and a classic baked Alaska as the dishes reviews praise most, and the drinks are built around 20 wines by the glass and 10 beers on tap. That combination is why the room reads as a slow-dinner pick rather than a quick neighborhood bite.

The space does a lot of the work. Conceived by the architecture firm BatesMasi, it pairs exposed whitewashed brick with suspended security gates and keeps the light low, so the dining room feels dim, moody and candlelit. Reviews average 4.4 out of 5 across 999 ratings and keep returning to the atmosphere and to attentive, well-coordinated staff who pace the courses carefully.

The caveat to plan around is the close. Sunday ends earliest, at 9 PM, while Friday and Saturday run until 11 PM, and the price level sits at $$$. So the next questions about Tessa Upper West Side are usually what to order, how the wine list works and which night suits a slower dinner, and the sections below answer each one.

Address: 349 Amsterdam Ave, Upper West Side, Manhattan, New York
Monday: 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Tuesday to Thursday: 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Friday and Saturday: 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Sunday: 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Phone: (212) 390-1974
Website: tessarestaurant.com
Rating: 4.4 out of 5 from 999 reviews
Price level: $$$
Cuisine: French and Italian, shared plates and house-made pasta
Drinks: 20 wines by the glass · 10 beers on tap
Design: BatesMasi · sister restaurant to Asset
Not published in the listing: reservation policy, menu prices, happy-hour times, parking

The menu at Tessa Upper West Side is built for sharing, so the easiest way to order is to treat the table as one plan rather than separate mains. Start with a couple of shared plates, add a house-made pasta, and leave room for dessert. Cacio e pepe is the pasta the listing names first, the cheese-and-black-pepper classic that puts the kitchen's handmade noodles front and center, and it is one of the dishes reviews praise by name.

Grilled octopus is the other dish that keeps coming up, and it works as the bridge between the lighter plates and the pasta course. The kitchen is described as pacing courses carefully and plating them thoughtfully, which suits a long dinner more than a fast one, so let the table set the rhythm. To finish, the classic baked Alaska is the dessert reviewers mention, and it is an easy one to split between two.

Ordering two pastas and splitting them is the simple move for a pair who want range without over-ordering. The listing does not publish menu prices or a tasting format, so check the current menu on the restaurant website before you go if budget decides the plan.

The drinks program is the second reason to come, and it is simple to read: 20 wines by the glass and 10 beers on tap. That depth by the glass matters more than a long bottle list for most tables, because it lets two people drink differently across a shared meal, one glass with the octopus and another with the pasta, without committing to a full bottle.

The bar at Tessa Upper West Side runs along one side of the room under the same low, patterned ceiling, with stools lined up at a lit counter and candles on the bar top, which makes it a reasonable seat for a solo diner or for a glass before dinner. The listing tags Tessa as a wine bar and for happy hour, but it does not publish happy-hour times or prices, so ask the staff what is pouring that day rather than assuming a deal.

Beer drinkers are not an afterthought here: ten taps is a real range for a restaurant this focused on food and wine. The listing gives no busy-hour data, so if you want a calmer drink rather than a full dinner, the 11 AM opening from Tuesday to Sunday gives the widest choice of when to come.

Tessa Upper West Side earns its date night reputation from the room as much as the food. The listing labels it cozy and romantic, the review summary calls the atmosphere dim and moody, and the whitewashed brick and suspended security gates give the space an industrial-rustic look that feels deliberate rather than dark for the sake of it. Candlelight on the tables does the rest.

Timing is the main decision. Friday and Saturday give the longest evening, open until 11 PM, which leaves room for a later seating after a show or a walk. Tuesday through Thursday close at 10 PM, Monday opens only at 4 PM and also closes at 10 PM, and Sunday is the early night, ending at 9 PM. For a slow, multi-course dinner, aim to sit down at least two hours before close.

The listing also tags weekend brunch, outdoor seating and private dining, which widens the use beyond dinner, but it does not publish brunch hours, patio details or private-room capacity. Treat those as questions for a call to (212) 390-1974 rather than as a plan. The one limitation to know is price: at the $$$ level, this is a dinner to plan, not an impulse stop.

What are Tessa's hours?
Monday runs 4 PM to 10 PM, Tuesday through Thursday 11 AM to 10 PM, Friday and Saturday 11 AM to 11 PM, and Sunday 11 AM to 9 PM, so the weekend gives the longest dinner window.

Where is Tessa Upper West Side?
At 349 Amsterdam Ave in Manhattan, on the Upper West Side. The listing gives the street address and phone number but no transit or parking guidance, so plan the trip from the address itself.

What should I order at Tessa Upper West Side?
Reviews praise the cacio e pepe, the grilled octopus and the classic baked Alaska. The menu is built around shared plates and house-made pastas, so a few plates and a pasta to split works well for two.

Is Tessa good for a date night?
Yes. The listing labels it romantic, cozy and good for date nights, and reviews describe a dim, moody, candlelit room with attentive, well-coordinated staff and carefully paced courses.

How many wines by the glass does Tessa pour?
Twenty wines by the glass, plus 10 beers on tap. The listing does not publish individual wine names or glass prices, so ask the staff what is open that evening.

Do you need a reservation at Tessa?
The listing does not publish a reservation policy. Call (212) 390-1974 or check tessarestaurant.com before you go, especially if you are planning a Friday or Saturday dinner.

How expensive is Tessa?
The listing puts it at the $$$ price level but does not publish menu prices. Expect a sit-down dinner budget, and check the current menu online first if cost decides the evening.

Who designed the Tessa dining room?
The architecture firm BatesMasi conceived the space, pairing exposed whitewashed brick with suspended security gates. Tessa is also a sister restaurant to Asset.

Keep the wine-and-pasta evening going. Keuka Wine Bar & Kitchen pours Finger Lakes wine flights with walk-in counter service, an Upper West Side wine bar pours fifty French wines alongside small plates and is open daily, and an Upper West Side Italian spot on Columbus Avenue near Lincoln Center runs from carbonara to lasagna. A date night near West 72nd Street strings together Arte Cafe, Harvest Kitchen, The Dakota Bar and Lilly's Cocktail and Wine, and a Manhattan Italian restaurant pairs cacio e pepe with vintage tunes, sidewalk seating and a full bar.