Chef Antonio Salvatore of the celebrated Monaco restaurant Rampoldi and Monte Carlo Hospitality Group are pleased to announce the opening of Casa Limone, a casual, elegant Italian restaurant inspired by the flavors, sights and scents of the Italian Mezzogiorno (Italian South). Located in Midtown just steps from Rockefeller Center at 20 East 49th Street, the 133-seat Casa Limone offers Mediterranean hospitality at its finest for breakfast, lunch and dinner with indoor and outdoor seating.
Having received his first Michelin star earlier in 2021 for La Table d’Antonio Salvatore, the chef’s table restaurant under the heralded Rampoldi, Salvatore’s jump across the ocean to open his first restaurant in New York is a personal one as Casa Limone showcases his upbringing in Basilicata as well as the neighboring regions of Puglia, Calabria, Campania and the island of Sicily.
‘I’m humbled to open a new restaurant in the United States during these unprecedented times and this period of recovery,” said Casa Limone Chef/Partner Antonio Salvatore. “To be able to present versions of the dishes and ingredients I grew up eating, to a world-class city like New York, is a career highlight and we look forward to welcoming everyone to Casa Limone.”
Monte Carlo Hospitality Group CEO Alex Teisanu added, “There has long been a symbiotic relationship between Monaco and New York and we are excited to bring the warmth of the Mediterranean that reigns in Southern Italy and a touch of Monegasque hospitality to New York.”
Expressing the full notion of La Dolce Vita, Casa Limone and its menu may be enjoyed during any part of the day – a light Italian breakfast, a leisurely lunch, aperitivo hour, or an evening out with friends or loved ones. Showcasing finely crafted imported Italian products with New York regional, seasonal produce, menu highlights include a selection of fresh crudi; burrata Pugliese, the undisputed symbol of Southern Italy, with tomato; hand-made fresh and imported dry pastas paired with rich sauces and presentations; pizzas, a staple of Naples in a wood-burning oven; and hearty entrees such as Tortino all Parmigiana, Pasta all Norma, Polipo all Luciana, Cozze all Tarantino, Timballo di Pasta, and – a signature of Basilicata – Agnello alla Lucana. Infusing each meal with a touch of something sweet, hand-made cornetti are available in the morning along with house-made gelato, cannoli, cassata and tiramisu during the day and night.
The beverage program features an array of classic Italian cocktails (Negroni, Aperol Spritz) alongside new iterations influenced by the vitality of New York (Fiore Bianco, Sgroppino al Limone). The value-oriented wine list offers a large selection of Southern Italian wines as well as select Northern Italian, French, Argentine and American varietals in addition to an array of sparkling wines available in full and half bottles, and accessible by the glass and bottle prices.
Monte Carlo Hospitality Group created a space that complements the food by pulling inspiration from the streetscapes and outdoors of southern Italian villages. Guests are welcomed to Casa Limone by a restored antique lemon-yellow Vespa and Pietra Lavica-tiled walls. Spread over two floors, the ground floor features a 17-seat white marble bar with royal blue velvet bar seats and high-top tables followed by a more intimate dining area with orange velvet chairs, a forest green banquet and a flowered lattice that allows diners a peek into the kitchen. As guests ascend to the second floor, they are transported to a pergola with climbing vines and hanging flowers that are accented by a stone wall and window shutters reminiscent of walking Italian streets. Mustard yellow and orange velvet chairs and royal blue and forest green banquettes set the tone for an energetic and joyful dining experience. Towards the back of the upper level there is a golden mosaic pizza oven with a blue glazed subway tile backdrop to mimic the depths of Mediterranean. The walls are lined with mirrored displays filled with colorful bottles of limoncello and hand-made and hand-painted colorful ceramic plates.
To further enhance the dining experience, each table is accented by Murano water glasses, hand-painted plates from Caltagirone, Sicily and Casa Limone’s custom extra virgin olive oil from Puglia. Some tables are hand painted and built in Pietra Lavica from Vietri, Campania.
In addition to the opening of Casa Limone, MCHG is solidifying its presence in New York as they also recently took over operations of Atlantic Grill in Lincoln Square. The team is restoring the space to its grandeur with an updated menu by Chef Salvatore set to open in late summer 2021. Furthermore, after 75 years, Rampoldi will open its second location In New York in 2022 with more information to follow.
Casa Limone is open for breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday (8 a.m. – 4 p.m.), dinner Monday through Saturday (4 p.m. – 10 p.m.) and brunch on Saturday (11:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.). Reservations are available on Open Table and walk-ins are also welcome.
For more information, visit: www.casalimonerestaurant.com or follow along on Instagram @CasaLimoneRestaurantNYC.
