Serafina Restaurant Group, the restaurant group founded by Vittorio Assaf and Fabio Granato, opens a new location of Serafina Vino e Cucina [30 Broad Street, at Exchange Place, New York]. Founded nearly three decades ago, Serafina started with one small location at 1022 Madison Avenue on the Upper East Side and quickly made a name for itself as a destination for contemporary Italian cuisine crafted with ingredients sourced from Italy. Now, Serafina Restaurant Group spans over 40 restaurants across the US and around the world [Italy, Japan, and others], as Assaf and Granato continue to bring their favorites to a wider audience. This new opening is the group’s third Serafina Vino e Cucina concept, which merges Serafina’s classic Italian cuisine with a curated selection of wines from the best wine regions in Italy, following their popular Union Square and Upper East Side openings last year.
Owners Assaf and Granato take great pride in its deliberate selection and sourcing of Italy’s finest ingredients. Quarterly pilgrimages to Italy ensure that only the highest-quality ingredients from the finest purveyors find their way into their kitchens, such as Mozzarella Di Bufala Campana from Caseificio Barlotta, a 100-year-old family-owned farm in southern Italy where their buffalo roam freely on the hillside; highly allocated Parmigiano Reggiano from Parma’s famed Caseificio Paolo Gennari; Prosciutto Di Parma from Fratelli Galloni in Langhirano; and 00 and 000 flour milled specifically for Serafina from the Pivetti family in Bologna who have been making some of the finest flour for the past 125 years.
The menu at Serafina Vino e Cucina’s new 74-seat Broad Street location includes indoor and outdoor seating and features their pizzas, pastas and more. Antipasti and Insalate like the simple Burrata & Prosciutto Di Parma and Avocado San Pietro with arugula, shrimp, cannellini beans, grape tomatoes and champagne mustard vinaigrette, lead the menu. Their Pizzas include the VIP Classic Margherita with San Marzano tomatoes, Fior di Latte mozzarella, and basil; Napolitana with anchovies, capers and basil; and of course their Tartufo Nero with a bouquet of Italian cheeses and black truffles from Nunzia Di Nardo truffle hunters in Alba. Their handmade Pastas include Paglia & Fieno with fresh green and white fettuccine, Parmigiano Reggiano, fresh tomatoes, basil and a touch of cream; Spaghetti alle Vongole; and Tagliolini Carbonara. Secondi Piatti include Branzino in white wine sauce with fingerling potatoes; Cotoletta Milanese with thinly pounded and breaded crispy chicken cutlet served with arugula and cherry tomatoes; and Double R Ranch steaks or Filet Mignon alla Griglia, both grilled. Desserts like their versions of the classics like Tiramisu and Torta di Ricotta, which round out the menu. Serafina’s owners, along with Master Sommelier Alessandra Rotondi created a wine list with over 100 selections featuring a diverse range of varietals from all regions of Italy. Each menu item has a wine pairing and journey specifically selected by Rotondi, listed on the menu for ease.
Founded by Vittorio Assaf and Fabio Granato in 1995, Serafina Restaurants is a collection of Italian eateries that started with the acclaimed Serafina 79th. Building on the success of their inaugural restaurant, Assaf and Granato swiftly expanded the refined simplicity of Serafina throughout Manhattan and globally, offering contemporary Italian cuisine crafted with top-quality imported ingredients, complemented by an energetic ambiance at each venue. The Serafina family of restaurants encompasses the flagship Serafina brand, Serafina Vino e Cucina, Brasserie Cognac, Tokugawa, and Farinella Bakery. With a presence in 40 locations across the eastern U.S. and eight countries worldwide, Serafina continues to be rooted in the commitment to creating a welcoming and social environment for all. This year, the group will expand to open Serafina in Venice, Italy, with other big plans in the works.
Serafina Vino e Cucina at 30 Broad Street is open seven days a week from 12PM-10PM, with reservations available on OpenTable.
