The FOUND 45 is our list of favorite restaurants in New York City — Essentials, New Guard, Neighborhood, Fine Dining/Special Occasion, Subscriber Favorites.
WORK • Friday Routine
Roman empire
MATTIA MOLITERNI • managing partner • Roscioli New York
Neighborhood you work in: Soho
Neighborhood you live in: Bed-Stuy in Brooklyn
It’s Friday afternoon. How are you rolling into the weekend?
I often have to work on the weekends, so on Fridays, I try to have a little break and work only on the things that excite me most: new ideas for the restaurant, ingredient selection, events, or collaborations. Around this time of year, I need one gelato a week, so my Friday evenings often start at 5p at the counter at Una Pizza Napoletana, getting a gelato. They switch up the flavor every week, and I try to keep up.
Where are you drinking or dining this weekend?
This week has been a lot of fun: I had dinner at Tokyo Record Bar for the collab between chef Ignacia Valdes and Robert Mendoza, which was great. And this weekend I have a dinner planned at I Cavallini (intel), one of my new go-tos. I was also recently at Dean’s (intel), which is next to our restaurant — I’d definitely recommend to everyone. Speaking of neighbors, our street is full of great restaurants. Besides George Motz’s exceptional burgers at Hamburger America, I’m also a big fan of the ramen at Raku. The backyard at Sauced becomes one of my favorite places to grab a drink this time of year. I love beer, and the tap list at Tørst is also one of the best I’ve found so far!
How about a little leisure or culture?
I’ve been here for three years and I’m still blown away by the sheer number of things the city offers. Living in New York has been a major upgrade from this point of view compared to Rome. I love exploring new neighborhoods, and I’m really into markets. I’ve been slowly making my way through all of them. The market I visit most is Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket, and in spring or summer I really enjoy the Queens Night Market and Smorgasburg in Williamsburg, too. I also like music and appreciate how the city offers many places to experience it informally, from Apotheke in Chinatown to Nightmoves in Williamsburg, passing through iconic jazz clubs. Plus Roscioli is on MacDougal Street, which is a world in itself, with legendary spots like the Comedy Cellar and Blue Note.
Any weekend getaways?
The restaurant often means working weekends, and on top of that, with my roots in Rome, I spend time in Italy as well. So, unfortunately, I don’t have many free weekends throughout the year. I’ve been trying to explore a bit of the Hudson Valley and the Catskills, but I’m moving a bit slowly. Art Omi in Ghent is definitely a visit I’d recommend. In Hurleyville, there’s a small shop producing exceptional cured meats that we also carry at the restaurant. If you’re in the area, it’s well worth stopping by to pick some up: it’s called La Salumina.
I also try to visit nearby cities around New York where I’ve never been. I recently enjoyed Montreal and New Orleans. In New Orleans, be sure to check out Compére Lapin and Pluck Wine Bar for a good glass of wine, and my friend Sophie’s spot Chi Chi’s. In Montreal, Vin Mon Lapin is outstanding, but I also love Nora Gray and Gia from Ryan Gray. I also want to flag Pasta Pooks in Little Italy there: it’s easygoing, fun, and the team serves amazing pasta.
What was your last great vacation?
Mexico was a great discovery, especially Mexico City. I find it to be a very livable place, with a slower pace, and an incredible food culture. It felt very welcoming, and I’ve promised myself I’ll spend a few months there as soon as work allows. In the Yucatán — beyond the colonial towns and the more well-known destinations — I really found peace in El Cuyo, a small seaside village with a lovely local community and not much else. It’s perfect for disconnecting from the fast pace of everyday life and recharging, and it’s a great retreat I’d definitely recommend as a stop if you’re visiting Yucatán (especially as many places are becoming increasingly touristy and crowded). I’d also point out a small, family-run spot called Casa Mangle, serving very simple but delicious regional cuisine.
What store or service do you always recommend?
One of my favorite shops is definitely 50 Norman, a Japanese market in Greenpoint. Whenever I feel like treating myself, I usually head there, and since part of the selection changes pretty often, I stop by from time to time just to see what’s new. In the same area, I also really like plant shop Tula House, and popping into Yokkoyama Hat Market as well. There’s always great music playing there, and I often take friends who are visiting and want to buy a hat. I usually go to Front General Store for clothes in Dumbo. Sui Yoga is where I spend most of my downtime, I’ve gotten a bit addicted!
Where are you donating your time or money?
I’ve been supporting UNICEF Italia for years through recurring donations. I’m also on the council of City Harvest, and, with Roscioli, we support some of their great initiatives.
CULTURE & LEISURE • Catch the Fever
Bruno Mars • MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford) • Sat @ 7p • sec 113, $502 per
The Lumineers • Armstrong Stadium (Flushing) • Fri @ 8p • sec 1, $263 per
Fever v Liberty • Barclays Center (Prospect Hts) • Sat @ 7p • sec 8, $493
CULTURE & LEISURE LINKS: The NY artist making sculptures for rats • Eden Fine Art gallery suing collector for $800k in unpaid bills • Columbia U should unlock its gates • The luxury and exotic car worlds are shifting younger.
REAL ESTATE • First Mover
Three for-sale properties that came to market in Tribeca in the last 30 days.
→ 91 Leonard St #14B (Tribeca) • 2BR/2.1BA, 1588 SF condo • Ask: $4.65M • high floor w/ private outdoor terrace • Monthly cc: $2477 • Monthly taxes: $2506 • Days on market: 7 • Agent: Peter Wei, Home Ambassadors.
→ 450 Washington St #520 (Tribeca) • 3BR/2.1BA, NA SF condop • Ask: $4.995M • double-corner living & dining room, ‘glimpses toward the Hudson River’ • Monthly maint/taxes: $6735 • Days on market: 10 • Agents: Eduardo Martinez & Ian Slater, Compass.
→ 61 North Moore St #3W (Tribeca) • 4BR/4BA, 2917 SF condo • Ask: $6.5M • wood-beamed loft on cobblestone street • Monthly cc: $4353 • Monthly taxes: $2371 • Days on market: 23 • Agents: Brad Ingalls & Brendan O’Rourke. Open house Sun 130-3p by appt only.
REAL ESTATE LINKS: The fight over Spence’s Madison expansion plans • Parking lot at corner of Lafayette and Great Jones in Noho will become 200-plus apartments after development • Renderings revealed for six-story condo building at 233 Mott St in Nolita • People are pissed about that Greenpoint marina plan.
GETAWAYS • Intel
To properly send you into the third-to-last weekend of summer, here now, crucial getaways intel from Out East, Upstate, and Northeastern Connecticut:
→ THE HAMPTONS: A FOUND tipster queued up this week for the official first fried chicken Monday at Sagaponack General Store. His report:
GETAWAYS LINKS: On Bermuda, Palmetto Beach Club opens as part of Fairmont Southampton • Four Seasons finishing redesign of 26 rooms at The Ocean Club, Bahamas, taking bookings from 10/08 • St. Regis Mexico City major renovation set for completion next month • Checking in at new Menorca boutique Riviera Hotel.
GETAWAYS • The Nines
Hamptons, haute provisioning
The Nines are FOUND’s distilled lists of the best of NYC and surrounds. Paid subscribers access the complete Nines archive.
Cavaniola’s Gourmet (Sag Harbor & Amagansett), for best-in-class cheeses