Orso
Orso is a privately held, full-service Italian restaurant in NYC's Theater District, founded in 1983, serving rustic Tuscan cuisine to Broadway theatergoers via in-person dining, private events, and carry-out.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Orso does
Orso is an independent Italian restaurant operating under the legal name Orso Restaurant (also referenced as Orso NYC), founded in 1983 and located at 322 W 46th Street in New York City's Theater District. The restaurant offers a rustic Tuscan menu spanning antipasti, Roman-style pizzas, handmade pastas, secondi (main courses), contorni, and desserts, paired with a full Italian wine, beer, and spirits program. Its core use case is pre- and post-theater dining for Broadway show attendees, supplemented by private dining events and off-premise services such as carry-out and gift cards.
The business operates as a single-site, full-service restaurant open Tuesday through Saturday from 5pm to 11pm (closed Sunday and Monday), with reservations accepted by phone and via OpenTable up to one month in advance. Pricing is à la carte, with appetizers in the $19-$36 range, pastas at $29-$32, main courses at $35-$39, and desserts at $10-$15; gluten-free pasta is available on request. There is no proprietary technology platform — the restaurant uses its own website for information and OpenTable for reservation booking, and accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover.
The go-to-market model is fundamentally location-driven: Orso captures demand from Theater District foot traffic generated by Broadway and other theatrical performances. The restaurant is part of a small affiliated group that includes Joe Allen Restaurant and Bar Centrale, with active cross-referrals for overflow reservations. Revenue is generated entirely through on-premise food and beverage sales, private dining, and ancillary carry-out/gift card services, with no indication of delivery or third-party delivery partnerships in the source data.
Orso firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Orso
- Legal name
- Orso Restaurant
- Website
- https://orsorestaurant.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Orso is a privately held, full-service Italian restaurant in NYC's Theater District, founded in 1983, serving rustic Tuscan cuisine to Broadway theatergoers via in-person dining, private events, and carry-out.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Orso industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Italian Restaurant
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating Places (5812), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ethnic & Regional Cuisine Restaurants (THAFACAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Brasseries, Bistros & Trattorias (THAFACAI)
Keywords
Where Orso is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Orso business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Food and Beverage Sales: Traditional table-service restaurant generating revenue through à la carte food and beverage sales. Menu features Italian/Tuscan cuisine including antipasti, pasta, secondi courses, and desserts. Full bar with Italian wine selection, beer, and spirits. No indication of delivery, takeout as primary revenue channel based on available data.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual menu items priced à la carte |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
Orso product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Orso is a full-service Italian restaurant in NYC's Theater District at 322 W 46th Street serving rustic Tuscan cuisine. Its menu spans antipasti, Roman-style pizzas, handmade pastas, secondi (main courses), contorni, dolce, and an Italian wine and beer program. Beyond table-service dining, the restaurant offers private dining for groups, carry-out, gift cards, and a dedicated pre-theater dining experience for Broadway show attendees.
Product overview
Orso is an intimate Italian restaurant located in NYC's Theater District offering rustic Tuscan cuisine. The restaurant operates as a single dining establishment rather than a technology platform. Its core offering includes Italian dining services with a full menu spanning antipasti, pizzas, handmade pastas, secondi (main courses), contorni (side dishes), desserts, and an Italian wine and beer program. Additional services include private dining for events, carry-out options, gift cards, and pre-theater dining for Broadway show attendees. The restaurant partners with OpenTable for online reservations and is one of three sibling restaurants in the area, alongside Joe Allen Restaurant and Bar Centrale.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Dine-in Italian Restaurant Service Full-service table-service Italian restaurant in NYC's Theater District offering rustic Tuscan cuisine across antipasti, Roman-style pizzas, handmade pastas, secondi, contorni, dolce, and an Italian wine and beer program, served to walk-in and reserved guests.
- Private Dining Private dining room available for groups, corporate events, celebrations, and business dinners, with a dedicated booking page on the restaurant website.
- Pre-Theater Dining Dinner service specifically timed for Broadway show attendees, with reservations recommended and quick turnarounds to accommodate curtain times.
- Carry-Out and Gift Cards Off-premise carry-out orders and gift card purchases for use at the restaurant.
Companies that use Orso
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Orso technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Orso partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Joe Allen RestaurantcoreSister restaurant under the same ownership/management group. Listed as a partner restaurant on Orso's website with linked navigation. When Orso's online reservation for a desired time is unavailable, guests are directed to partner restaurants as alternatives.
- Bar CentraleminorAffiliated bar establishment under the same ownership/management group. Referenced on Orso's website as another dining option within the same restaurant group.
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Orso competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Buca di Beppo: National Italian restaurant chain focused on family-style dining and group events. Comparable cuisine category but operates at very different scale and format than Orso's intimate Theater District restaurant.
- Il Fornaio: Established multi-unit Italian restaurant group with a Manhattan location; broader menu and geographic footprint but overlapping mid-priced Italian dining format and customer demographic.
- Maggiano's Little Italy: Large-format Italian restaurant chain serving family-style Italian fare; comparable cuisine and price band but national scale and banquet/event focus differ from Orso's intimate single-location model.
Direct peers
- Carmine's (NYC): Iconic family-style Italian restaurant in the Theater District (and other locations), competing for the same pre-theater customer with Italian fare at comparable price points.
- Becco: Long-running Theater District Italian restaurant offering prix-fixe and à la carte menus to pre-/post-theater diners. Directly comparable concept, customer segment, and Theater District positioning.
- Joe Allen Restaurant: Direct peer and sister restaurant to Orso in NYC's Theater District. Same ownership group, same Broadway theatergoer customer base, similar American/European bistro menu and price point — most directly comparable peer.
- Bar Centrale: Sister establishment to Orso under the same ownership group, operating as a pre-theater bar in the Theater District. Comparable concept and customer base; functions as overflow/cross-sell channel.
- Trattoria Trecolori: Mid-priced Italian trattoria in Midtown West near the Theater District, serving a similar mix of pre-theater tourists and local diners with a comparable menu and price band.
Regional players
- Lupa Osteria: Well-regarded Italian osteria in Greenwich Village serving authentic Italian cuisine at comparable price points. Comparable concept and food quality, but serves a different NYC neighborhood rather than the Theater District tourist trade.
- Fig & Olive: Upscale Mediterranean-influenced restaurant group with NYC presence. Comparable mid-to-upper Italian/Mediterranean price band and intimate dining atmosphere, but with broader menu positioning and multiple locations.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Orso social profiles
Digital presenceOrso financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Orso leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Orso funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Orso M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Orso
What does Orso do?
Orso is a full-service Italian restaurant in NYC's Theater District at 322 W 46th Street serving rustic Tuscan cuisine. Its menu spans antipasti, Roman-style pizzas, handmade pastas, secondi (main courses), contorni, dolce, and an Italian wine and beer program. Beyond table-service dining, the restaurant offers private dining for groups, carry-out, gift cards, and a dedicated pre-theater dining experience for Broadway show attendees.
Is Orso a public or private company?
Orso is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Orso founded?
Orso was founded in 1983. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Orso based?
Orso is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Orso make money?
One revenue line is on record: food and Beverage Sales.
Who are Orso's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Buca di Beppo, Il Fornaio and Maggiano's Little Italy. Direct peers are Carmine's (NYC), Becco, Joe Allen Restaurant, Bar Centrale and Trattoria Trecolori. Regional players are Lupa Osteria and Fig & Olive.
Does Orso have an API?
No public API is recorded for Orso.
What industry is Orso in?
Orso's product category is Italian Restaurant. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAD, Ethnic & Regional Cuisine Restaurants, with a secondary code of THAFACAI, Brasseries, Bistros & Trattorias. Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 5812.