Formerly the site of a 110 year old butcher shop, Cha Cha's is an extraordinary Italian café and restaurant with the only outdoor garden café for dining in New York City's Little Italy. Besides a full menu of suitable for lunch or a special romantic dinner, it also has an large assortment of Italian pastries, cannolis, frozen desserts and gelate are truly dazzling. A favorite stop during the San Gennaro Feast, held every September, that famous brand of Cha Cha's Sausage with its perfect blend of spices, is know far and wide. Cha Cha's Gelato is considered the best west of Rome Italy.
It's clientele which, on any given night could include such luminaries as Danny De Vito, Tony Danza, Jimmy Caan, Tommy Lasorda, Howard Stern, Danny Aiello, Michael Douglas, Vito Anturfermo, Leonard DiCaprio and Rosie & Chuck Mangione name just a few.
The owner, John Ciarcia, known affectionately by all his friends and associates as Cha Cha, is a bit of a celebrity himself, having appeared in scores of films and TV shows set in New York City, making him the "Unofficial Mayor of Little Italy" and one of its most recognizable faces. He displays a personality and presence which perfectly suites this highly charged establishment. He feverishly works the room as if playing an accordion-dashing back and forth, greeting guests, rearranging tables and adjusting the music, all in an effort to make everyone as comfortable and as happy as possible. There is a definite commitment to please and an atmosphere of fun times and good people.