The recent announcements about the coming death by rent hike of Rocco's and Rocky's--along with the closure of Aunt Suzie's in Park Slope--has me wondering if we've been witnessing a mass extinction of the classic "red-sauce joint." Looking back, the answer is obvious.
Rocco ravioli
The Beatrice Inn closed in 2005 after about 80 years. The new owner promised "Monday Scrabble sessions and Italian-food specials will cater to the old regulars." That didn't happen. It became a celeb hotspot that enraged the neighbors and eventually shuttered.
The Minetta Tavern closed in 2008 after 71 years when the rent skyrocketed. Keith McNally took it over, changed the Italian menu to French, fancied it up, and stashed Joe Gould somewhere he may never be found.
Gino closed in June 2010 after 65 years. Once a favorite of Frank Sinatra, it's now a cupcake chain store from Beverly Hills.
Fedora closed in July 2010 after 58 years. The new owner had said it would remain almost exactly the same as it was, but that didn't happen. Like Minetta's, they also serve French-ish food.
Carmine's at the Seaport closed in July 2010 after 107 years. The rent was jacked up.
With Rocco and Rocky's both closing at the end of 2011, counting 90 and 30 years in business, respectively, that makes about 500 years of Italian-American cuisine and culture vanished in just the past 6 years. And I'm sure I've neglected to mention others.
Last meal at Minetta Tavern: Tortellaci Minetta
Interestingly, just as these classic places are vanishing, we're simultaneously seeing the rise of the hipster or foodie faux "red-sauce" joint, run by chefs who aim to "elevate" Italian-American cuisine from its apparently lowly position.
To wit: meatballs. They're everywhere, from the ever expanding Meatball Shops to the Meatball Factories. But they're not mom-and-pop meatballs. They're made by young, hip guys who attended culinary institutes and came up through French bistros and Hamptons clubs. They're made by guys from Top Chef, who top them with BBQ sauce or truffle cream.
The Torrisi team, though mostly Italian-American, caters to the foodie crowd as they perform "gourmet riffs on classic red-sauce fare" and create "upmarket versions of humble Italian-American deli favorites." They will soon plant their flag in Rocco.
Adam Platt called Danny Meyer's Maialino both "authentic" and a "painstakingly rendered facsimile" of a Roman trattoria.
Maybe that sums up the kind of place that is replacing the red-sauce joint--authentic facsimiles. Which is to say: ersatz.
Manganaro's
It wouldn't be so bad, having these upscale places around, if they weren't helping to send mom and pop--or should we say Nonna and Nonno?--into retirement.
For awhile now, there's been something about "red-sauce" that inspires scorn from the foodie elite. A Wikipedist says the term is pejorative, and that the mom-and-pop image of these restaurants is a cliche. Italian-American food has been maligned in this city since at least the 1980s, according to Anthony Bourdain, who writes, "We were almost made to feel bad about any secret appetites we might retain for spaghetti and meatballs" once the gourmets took over.
Call the culprit classism, class climbing, or murderous Oedipal rage, either way, real Italian-American food, made simply and inexpensively, is vanishing from the city.
Last meal at Gino, ravioli and meatballs
For true authenticity, not the painstakingly rendered kind, we still have John's of 12th Street and Manganaro's, which are my two favorites of what remains. We also have Monte's and Villa Mosconi. We have the dwindling fragments of Little Italy. Outside Manhattan, you might have better luck.
If you have a craving for meatballs, or for anything Italian-American, find your way to these places. They survived the 20th century--help them survive the new New York.
37 comments:
I have two words:
Mulberry Street
i'm not sure if by "Mulberry Street" you mean (A) there are lots of red-sauce places there, or (B) the Italian-American culture long on Mulberry is fast being chipped away, block by block.
both are true. but as long as B continues, A will no longer be.
I was really surprised about Aunt Suzie's in Park Slope. It was wonderful food-nice people and I believe they delivered at one time. They had 2 locations--one on 7th Avenue and one on 5th Avenue. Really good food. They made a potato cake that would knock your socks off..the best by far of any inventive home-style cooking.Sorry to see them go.
Manganaro's, for sure. Good food and atmosphere. But I'm going to tell you something right now — Dave Martin at the Meatball Factory brings it! You can laugh at truffle cream if you want, but listen up— short rib meatballs — sweet Jesus!
Is Lanza's still open? I was there a few years ago and it was still quite good, in my opinion.
- Storko
Just as we get the politicians we deserve (through our voting or nonvoting), we get the eating establishments we deserve. Small, truly independent places are fading out because we're choosing not to go there. Of course, some are just coming to a natural end of life -- try convincing a third-gen, college-educated heir that 80-hour weeks in the food service industry is a life worth living -- but the fact that we walk past these places to get to the 20th iteration of Batalimcnally has a lot to do with the quickening demise. This isn't just a New York phenomenon -- try finding an indie place in Paris these days.
I'm not sure if I can get too worked up about this. Hasn't the Italian-American population in New York been either a) moving to the suburbs or b) dying for some time. I don't see anything here but the normal ethnic churn in this city. Aren't some decent Mexican places finally starting to open?
these foodie takeovers are all the rage for a hot minute. then it's on to the next one. and then both close.
Lanza's is still open and is the best. You can also get great ravioli and other Italian products at Russo's, next to Veniero's on 11th Street. Also check out Piccola Venezia in Queens, or Delezia on the Upper East Side.
Also, I understand that these styles of red-sauce joints may be fading, but I wouldn't accuse New York of not having any "independent" restaurants.
On West 56th Street, Patsy's (est. c. 1944) is still going strong, Joe G's can use some love, but it's too late for Ralph's on 56th and Ninth, which started up in 1956 or so, survived the Westies, but couldn't get through the short-rib meatball era.
I ate on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx on Saturday night. Veal Saltimbocca with prosciutto on a bed of spinach with a side of pasta. Not a hipster (or even an iPhone) in sight.
On Sunday I passed a little place next to John's on Bleecker called Trattoria Pesce Pasta: looked cozy. In the words of Sonny Corleone, "Anybody know this joint?"
Anon.9:06-Your point is well taken, but remember, the bulk of the closings that Jeremiah listed were because of skyrocketing rents, not lack of clientele.
If the rent suddenly triples, it doesn't matter how many regular customers show up.
So, many of these places are being forced to close due to landlord greed, not lack of interest.
"Outside Manhattan, you might have better luck."
That statement is sad, but true.
I guess it's time to stock up with cans of Chef Boyardee.
What is the average life span of these hip, trendy, faux food places?
Well said, Jeremiah.
In Carroll Gardens we still have Red Rose (Smith St) and Sam's Steaks and Chops (Court St). But for how long? For? How? Long?
I just went to Red Rose and indulged in spaghetti and meatballs.
The honest truth is that New Yorkers have learned to cook -- honestly you don't need Nonna's brow sweat as your secret red sauce ingredient -- just fresh herbs, heirloom tomatoes and a little patience. Also, the current generation of mid-prices Italian restaurants are light-years better than any red-sauce joint, for the same price.
On the bright side, it's good news for Ronzoni and Prego. Thanks for the excellent if distressing post...
there's also Gene's on 11th near 6th. please keep adding your favorites to the list.
Amazingly, I see this starting to happen a little with Mexican food...Greenpoint has not one but two overpriced hipster Mexican restaurants that do Mexican food with pretentious foodie twists and aren't nearly as tasty as the actual Mexican places north of Greenpoint Ave. Yet somehow they are always full of hipsters. Do they not know better?
That said, Anonymous at 12:11 is right that there's a handful of newer red sauce joints that make much better food for the same prices as the old ones. Max Soha and Pisticci in Morningside Heights, Celeste on the Upper West Side, Fiore in Williamsburg come to mind. I'm sure there are others. I think some of those are actually a little cheaper than your typical old school red sauce joint.
The very best old school red sauce food I've had has been in New Jersey, where the Italian-Americans have been going.
Do any of you honestly think that any of these closed places is anywhere near as good as, say, Lupa (which has been open something like 10 years now, so hardly counts as a "foodie" flash in the pan)?
HONESTLY?
You can't eat nostalgia. Well, maybe you guys can. But I can't.
Sneakeater - it's not about "better than." New York should have plenty of room for high priced cuisine as well as old school "red sauce" joints where a plate of spaghetti costs $12. There's always been enough room - til now.
The problem as this site describes it is that more expensive eateries can open just about anywhere by virtue of the huge rents they are willing to pay - so why do they need to push out lower-priced mainstays? As Jeremiah said, there are plenty of empty storefronts in this city.
Patsy's and Red Rose for me. My friend Lefty from Brooklyn always called the red sauce gravy.
i still haven't made it to Patsy's. how about Two Toms in Gowanus? that's the real deal.
I love Bamonte's in Brooklyn. Very sad to see a lot of these Manhattan restaurants close.
Florio's on Grand & Mulberry is still hanging in there - great place to sit outside and enjoy a nice cigar and some good food while basking in what Little Italy really is all about.
I still miss Minetta Tavern - mom used to take me there as my reward for being good while tagging along on a long day of boring shopping on Orchard Street - the things you take for granted and assume will always be there when you're an unjaded naive kid - sigh.
Rocky's is a small, authentic place. No pretense. Just good food. A shame it's being pushed out by a greedy neighbor who lobbied for their lease. At least they're going out with class.
It's true that Manhattan red sauce joints are few and far between, but the art form is far from dead on the outskirts. There's Dazie's in Sunnyside, Manducati's in LIC, a handful of places left in East Williamsburg and Carroll Gardens... I'm not an expert, but I'm sure if you get out to Ozone Park or Howard Beach there's no shortage of homestyle Italian. Someone already mentioned Arthur Ave. New Jersey is a wonderland. There are a few good places in Bayonne (Picolino, Da Noi), Laico's in Jersey City is a gem. Roberto's in Edgewater, Armando's in Ft. Lee.
I completely agree with the frustration of the forced classing-up of Manhattan, but it's worth keeping in mind that New York is a big (but easily accessible!) place.
Second Two Toms. Ferdinando's (Union), Joe's of Avenue U. Tonio's on Seventh Avenue closed recently & is about to become a Dunkin' Donuts. Monte's Venetian Room closed in '08 & is now re-opened, run by someone else, but the Venetian murals are long gone. Monte's used to bring in a very interesting crowd. My husband remembers interesting times at Lanza in the 70s too!
Not a restaurant but the meatball subs at Catene's (9th & 4th) are great & Catene's is about as classic a deli as you can get, with the loveliest guys running the place.
For those who venture to the UES,(in which some of the oldest places in Manhattan remain perhaps because it's now the least 'cool' neighborhood) some great old places in this vein are Pinocchio, Gino's (not to be confused with the late Gino), and Isle of Capri. At least, I like them.
Also, Nanni's on 46th Street off 3rd. My folks used to go on dates there, and to this day (more than 30 years later) the head waiter still recognizes us when we come for dinner. I remember having a dinner there with my mother and sister-in-law when I had a terrible fever and was sick. They made me consomme with angel hair and the waiters were so caring. To this day I have cravings for the angel hair with Nanni sauce. I must have eaten at every table in the place. It holds such a special place in my heart.
@Jeremiah--thanks for remembering Two Toms--that was Lefty's favorite Italian Restaurant. Lefty was Italian btw. The plate of raviolis with that red sauce is getting me extremely hungry!!!
My parents loved Monte's Venetian Room. As a child we used to go to La Polinas in Brooklyn. Family style Italian at it's finest. I used to drive them a little crazy because as a child I only liked spaghetti and butter and would order it there. I remember the wonderful bread-butter-crudites and olives. These people were the best. I remember seeing many dishes pass by with the red sauce.
Take it from a native, there are still lots of great red sauce joints on Staten Island. Take a ferry ride sometime and eat you way through the island. Yum.
Don't forget Carmine's on W. 44th Street, NYC.
Nice piece Jeremiah ... Question? What does Danny Meyer know about Italian? Answer; Nada "Nothing" What does Adam Platt know about Italian? Nothing! Nuff said.
Daniel
Aunt Suzie's? Please. The food sucked. The newer La Villa, just a couple of blocks away, kicked its ass in every meaningful way.
lf you're gonna bemoan a Park Slope old-school ltalian closing, save your tears for Tonio's, which was a genuine neighborhood institution.
SPOT ON ABOUT THE MEATBALLS
"Meatballs. They're everywhere, from the ever expanding Meatball Shops to the Meatball Factories. But they're not mom-and-pop meatballs. They're made by young, hip guys who attended culinary institutes and came up through French bistros and Hamptons clubs. They're made by guys from Top Chef, who top them with BBQ sauce or truffle cream."
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT THESE HOT SPOTS ARE RUN MOSTLY BY NON-ITALIANS WITH ENDLESS CAPITAL ARE OPENING THESE SHOPS, CAPITALIZING ON THE POPULARITY OF THE CLASSIC PAESANT FOOD OUR GRANDMOTHERS MADE IN ITALIAN-AMERICAN HOMES...EXCEPT FOR ONE JOHNNY "MEATBALLS" DECARLO, A TRUE NEW JERSEY PAISAN WHO HAS ONE GOAL IN MIND AND THAT'S NOT TO GO "GOURMET" BUT RATHER PAY AN HONEST HOMAGE TO NONNA AND BRING BACK THE REAL SUNDAY DINNER EXPERIENCE, WHICH IS AUTHENTIC TO HIS CHILDHOOD AND TO THOSE HE GREW UP WITH.
FOR ME, I DO WHAT I DO NOT UNDER SOME GUISE OF "INVENTED" NOSTALGIA OR BASED ON A FOODIE TREND. BUT OF COURSE I AM ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HUDSON RIVER SO I PRETTY MUCH DON'T EXIST TO NEW YORKERS!
JOHNNY.DECARLO@GMAIL.COM
JOHNNY MEATBALLS
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