On the 7th of May, 2014 – five years ago this week – Pronto owner Angela Maida invited me town to take a look at her new project next door, Prontino, which she was hoping to open to the public that evening. For our Throwback Thursday feature this week, we look back at its beauty and wish it was still around.

It was a beautiful thing while it lasted. The wine and cocktail-forward bar was designed by Scott Cohen (see also The Acorn, Fayuca). Both it and Pronto were closed on March 3rd of last year to make room for…wait for it…condos and a dentist’s office. Sigh. Angela has since moved on to open Centro in the West End (also designed by Scott Cohen), but that doesn’t mean Prontino isn’t missed.

Here’s what I wrote about it just a few hours after seeing it for the first time…

It’s woody but not clubby; old school nautical but wholly unpretentious; more Arthur Ransome than Ralph Lauren, more Florence than Rome. It’s very pretty, the sort of place you’d happily surrender hours and dollars to just to stay in its embrace with glass in hand. You will likely wish to hell and back that it was around the corner from your house. And damn your good luck if it is.

Take a closer remembrance…