It isn’t everyday your favorite social media star gives you an avenue to connect with them in-person. This isn’t a pop-up or a one-time collaboration– this is a new fixture in Manhattan. Frank “Food Boss” DiMattina and his family are opening up a new restaurant in Hudson Square, and they want everyone to give it a try.
DiMattina’s insightful cooking hacks, kitchenware critiques, and fun tutorials translate his self-taught culinary skills into easy-to-replicate recipes for viewers to try on their own. Since he was a young child, DiMattina has been working in restaurants like his family’s establishment Mark Frank’s in lower Manhattan. He has since gone on to develop his own personal brand as “Food Boss,” amassing millions of followers across his platforms on Tik Tok, Instagram and Facebook.
While juggling the social media side of things, DiMattina also owns and operates Ariana’s South catering venue, serving up large-scale meals for private events and parties. Over the years, DiMattina and his wife Marie-Elaina Dimattina who run Ariana’s South together kept hearing feedback from New Yorkers asking for the Food Boss team to open a restaurant in the city.
After extensive research and thoughtful designing, the DiMattina family are opening Capo Del Cibo, an Italian fusion restaurant, later this year in the very area where Marie-Elaina was born and grew up.
What Now NY connected with Frank and Marie-Elaina DiMattina to learn more about this concept and what New Yorkers have to look forward to.
“Capo Del Cibo is going to be Italian-based cuisine but with a touch of fusion dishes like sushi, tuna tartare and caviar,” said Frank DiMattina. “We want Capo Del Cibo to have an old school vibe that feels welcoming and inviting. We recently took over the storefront next door when we realized the potential to create a private room off the main dining area. If someone with celebrity status wants to visit our restaurant, we will have a separate entrance to this space so they can enjoy the same kind of atmosphere but with a little extra privacy.”
The main dining area will have seating for 35 guests and the private area for 25. One of the driving forces behind the DiMattinas’ acquisition of the neighboring space was to be able to create a cohesive outdoor dining area for approximately 60 people.
“Collectively our family wanted to create a nostalgic New York vibe on the outside and a modern European interior,” said Marie-Elaina Dimattina. “It’s a small space that we want to feel inviting and comforting which is why we decided on bringing in more modern decor. Capo Del Cibo has beautiful green tones throughout with black and gold accents. We decided on a black and white tile floor as well. The lighting is good, the vibe is good, and the food is good. We are hoping that with all of these elements we get a warm reception from all the new clients.”
Capo Del Cibo is hosting a private grand opening event on September 5, and the restaurant will open to the public on September 6 just in time to celebrate New York Fashion Week. Given the elevated design and style of Capo Del Cibo, it might be the perfect place to stop in before the waitlist gets out of hand.
The DiMattinas emphasized that all are welcome to Capo Del Cibo.
“We have a very diverse following on social media, and we want to create that same kind of community with Capo Del Cibo. It will have a luxury and homey feel, and we hope that will make everyone feel welcome in this space.”
