Mi Garba was one of the most popular Italian restaurants in the Union Square neighborhood. Known for serving up authentic Tuscan fare in a slick, modern environment, Greenwich Village foodies were devastated to learn that the restaurant closed for good at its 4th avenue location.
While it remained unclear for some time what the future of Mi Garba would become, What Now New York is happy to report that the restaurant is on its way to a powerful comeback and is expected to reopen in a new location at 310 Bleecker Street.
Founded by Italian restaurateur Andrea Tempestini, Mi Garba is a truly authentic Tuscan restaurant designed specifically to highlight the incredible cuisine that comes from the region of Tuscany. Born in Prato, a small suburb on the outskirts of Florence, Andrea has been surrounded by the sights and smells of Tuscany for as long as he can remember. After graduating from the University of Florence, Andrea joined his family business – Gastronomia Toscana, a Tuscan food specialty store that distributes food to grocery stores across Italy.
When Andrea decided to expand the company beyond Italy, he knew from the start that he wanted to open in New York. Rather than creating a universalist menu to appeal to all types, Andrea wanted to narrow in and create the most authentic Tuscan menu that can be found in New York. Sourcing the majority of ingredients from his company in Italy, Mi Garba soon developed a prestigious reputation among New Yorkers thanks to Andrea’s dedication to authenticity.
Sadly, just as Mi Garba was earning some serious clout in New York, the Covid-19 pandemic hit the city and radically transformed the landscape of business. While it was a difficult period for Andrea and his team, they were thankfully able to bounce back and are now gearing up to reopen in a brand new location. The new Mi Garba will be replacing the Choptank that previously occupied the space at 310 Bleecker. With over 2,000 square feet of space split evenly between the ground floor and basement, Mi Garba will have a proposed occupancy of 42 people.
