---
title: Ottomanelli By The Water – the oldest family owned and operated meat retailer in New York
description: Queens waterfront dining with Manhattan skyline views at Ottomanelli By The Water – an NYC café blending five‑generation butchery heritage with park‑side ease.
author: Dr Marina Nani (Editor-in-Chief)
date: 2025-08-18T13:00:33.000Z
updated: 2026-02-26T22:05:32.020Z
canonical: https://richwoman.co/article/ottomanelli-by-the-water-the-oldest-family-owned-and-operated-meat-retailer-in-new-york
categories: Food
content_type: Feature
region: New York
publication: Rich Woman Magazine
---

The sizzle of prime steak mingles with the scent of fresh river air as Manhattan’s famous skyline spreads before you like a cinematic backdrop. Behind you, the hush of city traffic fades into something softer, more intimate. This is where some of [New York’s most memorable meals](https://richwoman.co/article/ten-neighbourhood-living-rooms-worth-joining-as-dinner-feels-like-home) happen – not in white-tablecloth establishments that require reservations months in advance, but on a patch of Queens waterfront where tradition meets tranquillity.

Ottomanelli By The Water sits within [Hunters Point South Park](https://www.swagroup.com/stories/hunters-point-south-park-wins-uli-award-of-excellence/), an 11-acre oasis that recently earned the Urban Land Institute’s 2025 Award for Excellence. Here, fresh lawns roll toward the East River’s edge, heritage gardens bloom with seasonal colour, and every meal feels like a small celebration. Whether you’re sharing weekend burgers with the family after a football match on the great lawn or lingering over a spontaneous cocktail as the sun sets behind the Empire State Building, this waterfront setting turns everyday dining into something special.

## Five Generations of New York Butchery

For Frank Ottomanelli, this café represents more than waterfront dining – it’s the latest chapter in a family story that began over 120 years ago. The [Ottomanelli family butchery tradition](https://ottomanelli.com/) started in the early 1900s when Onofrio Ottomanelli learned his craft from his grandmother in Bari, Italy, before returning to New York in 1937 to work in his uncle’s shop. By the 1940s, he’d opened O. Ottomanelli & Sons on Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village, introducing New Yorkers to fresh game alongside prime cuts of beef, pork and poultry.

‘Today, I’m still working with some of the same vendors my father did in the 1940s,’ says Frank Ottomanelli. That continuity means something in a city where everything changes – it’s a direct line to old-world relationships and quality standards. Here on the Queens waterfront, Frank brings that same commitment to fresh, never-frozen meats without preservatives, presenting classic quality in a thoroughly modern setting. Like [other family food traditions](https://richwoman.co/article/pasta-rituals-reviving-tradition-inside-the-art-of-fresh-italian-pasta-and-the-simple-joys-it) that span generations, the Ottomanelli approach values relationships and craftsmanship over shortcuts.

## Where City Moments Turn Into Memories

The experiences that unfold here capture the rhythms of New York life made special by their setting. Children lick their fingers after demolishing burgers while their parents steal glances at the [Manhattan skyline](https://licpost.com/celebrate-valentines-day-dinner-inside-cozy-igloos-at-hunters-point-south-park). Couples decide to propose by the river, taking advantage of a backdrop that includes the United Nations, Empire State Building, Chrysler Building and One World Trade Center.

The café has become unexpectedly popular as a venue for proposals and weddings, with [community events](https://licpost.com/ottomanellis-by-the-water-free-summer-concert-series) and celebrations becoming part of its identity. The rituals here feel both spontaneous and significant – a ferry ride across from 34th Street in Manhattan (just seven minutes and $4 on the [NYC Ferry](https://away.mta.info/articles/exploring-nycs-waterfront-neighborhoods-by-ferry/)), lunch after soccer practice, steak sandwiches with friends as evening light turns the river golden.

These moments happen against the backdrop of Tom Balsley’s acclaimed park design, which turned a former industrial site into what many consider one of the city’s most thoughtfully planned green spaces. Much like [other Manhattan rooftop experiences](https://richwoman.co/article/a-manhattan-night-in-full-creative-living-bloom-groove-games-and-florals-at-ellee-ven-the-gro), the views here become part of the dining ritual itself.

The visual appeal here is undeniable – an uninterrupted panorama stretching from the Chrysler Building to the Freedom Tower, with the shimmering East River below. But it’s the marriage of this setting with honest, fresh food that makes Ottomanelli By The Water special. The menu ranges from leisurely lunch options to romantic dinner selections, with seasonal specials that take advantage of Frank’s vendor relationships and expertise.

Classic preparations dominate – this isn’t molecular gastronomy or fusion experimentation, but rather the kind of straightforward cooking that lets quality ingredients speak for themselves. The approach mirrors what you’d find in [fine dining establishments](https://richwoman.co/article/inside-the-new-fine-dining-michelin-chef-martin-hoellrigl-s-california-garden-feasts) that prioritize ingredient quality over elaborate techniques. The café’s open-air setting invites lingering long after plates are cleared, whether you’re watching the city light up at dusk or enjoying morning coffee as ferry boats navigate the river.

## A New York Tradition You Can Take Home

Ottomanelli’s influence extends beyond the park’s borders through [Ottomanelli.com](https://ottomanelli.com/), where Frank personally ensures the same prime cuts served at the waterfront café reach customers across New York City and out to the Hamptons. It’s a modern twist on an old-fashioned approach – the same attention to relationships and quality, now available for home celebrations.

This accessibility reflects something essential about what Ottomanelli By The Water offers: it’s not precious or exclusive, but rather [a place where New York tradition meets everyday accessibility](https://richwoman.co/article/celebrating-plant-based-together-planted-culture-market-brings-back-vegan-flavour-to-nyc). The combination of Frank’s butchery heritage, Tom Balsley’s visionary park design and the simple pleasure of dining with Manhattan as your backdrop creates something that feels both timeless and entirely of the moment. Unlike [theatrical dining experiences](https://richwoman.co/article/inside-stk-topanga-vibe-dining-striking-spaces-and-evenings-with-flair) that emphasize spectacle, this spot lets the setting and quality ingredients create the atmosphere.

In a city that often demands you choose between convenience and quality, between affordable and memorable, Ottomanelli By The Water suggests you don’t have to. Here, family roots, great food and river sunsets come together in a setting where you might just discover your new favourite waterfront ritual – one ferry ride away from Midtown, one sunset away from ordinary.