The time has finally come: Osteria Elio Volpe will open at 540 West 17th Avenue this Thursday, March 14th – and it’ll be worth the wait! The cavernous 4,200 square foot former mechanic’s shop been transformed into a sleek yet inviting room with subtle (but deep-running) references to a relaxed coastal mood and impossible-to-beat Italian flair – and the food also kicks ass.

At last night’s Friends & Family event, I arrived to an empty room that filled like clockwork, at 15-minute intervals, until almost every seat was taken. The kitchen was ready to take on the crowd, stacked with an almost excessive number of hands on deck: Culinary Director Phil Scarfone, together with Head Chef Alan Tam (who comes to the Banda Volpi group from Nightingale), and Executive Sous Chef Vish Mayekar (La Tana / Pepino’s) and a pizza firing assist from Co-owner Paul Grunberg. Even in full swing, there were no hiccups typical of a first service.

Our table of four dug into Yellowfin Tuna & Scallop Crudo with jalapeño, gooseberry, and basil (a standout for me); thinly-crusted and perfectly cooked Roman-style ‘Pepperone’ Pizza with Pomodoro, Castelvetrano olives and shaved button mushrooms; Whole Roasted Branzino with grilled frisée and Meyer lemon; Escarole salad with anchovy croutons and a pine nut dressing; half-orders of Linguine alle vongole with red sea urchin and Rigatoni cacio e pepe; Chicken al mattone with a vibrant Calabrian chili crunch; and a side of Broccolini grilled in garlic, anchovy and Calabrian chili. (NB: the pleasure of using the custom French knife that came with the aforementioned chicken dish was much commented on.) Executive Pastry Chef Jessi Morton and Pastry Chef Tanis Petrin also killed it with the dessert offerings (not that we needed it). All three desserts that we sampled – Semolina citrus cake; Chocolate Budino tart; and Amaretto semifreddo – were satisfying ends to the meal, rich and flavourful, but not too sweet.

To drink, Wine Director Kristi Linneboe has built an approachable wine list grounded in Italy’s tradition, that “celebrates the curiosity and skill of a new generation of winemakers – from a small, independently produced Muscadet to the energetic light-weight Mencia of one of El Bierzo, Spain’s most up-and-coming female producers”; whereas Beverage Director Amar Gill’s sophisticated cocktail list pays homage to Italy’s regionality and heritage via seven Negroni variations, as well as drinks made from a selection of local and imported Italian gin, vermouth, and bitters. For our first experience, we opted for Elio’s signature cocktail, the Elio Sour, made with grapefruit hibiscus cordial and orange bitters, with an effervescent Lambrusco finish.

“The name Elio has its roots in the Latin word for ‘sun’, so we approached the concept with an overwhelmingly warm point of view. We wanted the whole experience to feel fresh but inspired by a time when everything was done by hand,” explains co-owner Craig Stanghetta. Lifted from today’s Press Release:

To wit, furniture and finishings feel assembled in a studio rather than a factory line – stitch details and fringe work boast irregularity throughout; and the hand painted tiles inset on some tables, along with piping details on sofas and lamp seams, point to this hand-crafted spirit. Another such gesture is the curvilinear walls and rough stucco treatment inspired by Villa La Saracena, the famous coastal holiday home designed by Luigi Moretti in 1955. “We used these walls to create visual interest – to grip light and shadow and evoke the spirit of the beach side forms prevalent throughout the south of Italy. Ultimately, an ode to a sojourn of sea and sun.”

Elio Volpe officially open doors later this week, on Thursday, March 14th. To begin, they’ll be offering dinner service seven days a week, from 5-10:30pm. Tables are being booked up fast, so we recommend you scoop a reservation here NOW. And, until you get to experience the restaurant for yourself, please enjoy the photo gallery below, as well as a refresher on its background excerpted from our September 2023 story announcing the project here.

Osteria Elio Volpe

Neighbourhood: West Side

540 West 17th Ave.

WEBSITE