Whether you come for the standout Italian-accented wine list or the tasty renditions of European classic dishes, it’s good times all the way here in chic old-school surrounds.
The inspiration for this venue’s name came to owner Mark Rotolone after a memorable wine-tasting lunch with pioneering Italian winemaker Chiara Boschis, who was showcasing her acclaimed full-bodied red wines made with the nebbiolo grape. Fittingly, the 250-plus bottle list here features several vintages of Boschis’s Mosconi Barolo and, if the budget allows, they’re pretty fine options. But it’s all quality here, so you might also be tempted by an Eighth Day Granny Smith cider from the Granite Belt, or a different take on an Aperol Spritz putting Italy’s bitter Cynar to work with prosecco and orange. Or one of Mosconi’s cocktails – a Montenegro Sour with amaretto, egg white and cherry bitters, say, or a Margarita made with a blue agave tequila by La Gritona.
The wine list here is lightly weighted towards Italian drinking, but not exclusively so. There’s plenty to delight those who admire biodynamic and organic makers, too. “It’s a reflection of the wines I like – and I don’t just drink Italian wine,” says Rotolone. “I like to include wines that are a good example of a particular variety and to also have an alternative variety, so people can try a mix of both.”
