On a recent trip to New York, writer Claudia Carbone had the opportunity to try two restaurants, both of which harken to the authentic flavors of Italy, and of her childhood. Here, she tells Real Food Traveler readers what to expect when we go to Masseria dei Vini and Masseria Caffè.

To help you plan your visit to Masseria dei Vini and Masseria Caffè in Manhattan, save this article to Pinterest. Photos by Masseria Caffè and Claudia Carbone.

Authentic Italian New York Restaurants Bring Back Tastes and Aromas of an Italian Childhood

My first question when I sat down for dinner at Masseria dei Vini was: what does masseria mean?

Our server said simply, “farm.” When I researched further, I learned that in Italy, particularly in the Puglia region where the owner is from, a masseria is an old farmhouse or farm estate typically built around the 16th century. In recent years, these historic structures have been turned into hotels and villas open to guests. So masseria is sort of this restaurant’s take on the “farm to table” concept.

While Masseria dei Vini (“of wines”) in the heart of Manhattan is not exactly a farmhouse, it exudes the Old World charm one finds in the old country. When I go to an Italian restaurant, I like to converse in Italian with the wait staff if I hear an Italian accent. The wait staff here have foreign accents but not all are from Italy. But that’s okay – they are molto simpatico! They know the menu well and can explain any dish.

The dei vini in the name likely references the collection of more than 400 wines, mostly Italian, uniformly displayed in cases row after row along an entire long wall above our table. “We are very proud of our wine wall,” said the hostess as she seated us.

Along the opposite wall is a sparkling display of spirits behind a sleek white marble bar. And in between are two sections of rows of white-tablecloth tables spaced just right.

The Wine Wall displays more than 400 selections. Photo courtesy Masseria dei Vini.

The Menu at Masseria dei Vini

Ah, the food! Executive Chef Pino Coladonato (co-owner with two other native sons) created the menu influenced by his childhood home, a farm, in the region of Puglia in southern Italy. He’s got all the traditional dishes—from Calamari to Carpaccio and Risotto to Ravioli—and many others that surprised me. Like Insalata di Carciofi—tender artichoke-heart salad with avocado bites held together with a lemon/olive oil dressing. It’s all piled under a tent of parmesan cheese slices sprinkled with pistachios. For an artichoke lover like me, this was heavenly!

The menu starts with an array of Antipasti & Insalate, followed by nice assortments of pastas, pizzas, and meats and fish, including chicken, duck, rabbit and calf liver.

A carefully-composed artichoke salad at Masserie dei Vini. Photo by Claudia Carbone.

Hungry for more? Read Claudia’s article about the Rocky Mountaineer train experience.

Pasta

I rarely order a main dish when I eat Italian; pasta is the main course for me. So, I ordered homemade spaghetti with a rich cherry tomato sauce topped with a spring of basil. It came volcano-shaped in a deep dish, and the waiter shaved parmesan cheese over the top. I would need to tuck my napkin in my sweater as I knew I was going to slurp the yummy red sauce!

My partner ordered Penne alla Masseria, penne pasta with a lighter tomato sauce dotted with bacon pieces and topped with bites of smoked mozzarella cheese. As the cheese hit the hot pasta, it began to melt, giving the dish a cheesy texture. “Zestful!” he said.

Penne alla Masseria with dots of Mozzarella cheese. Photo by Claudia Carbone.

I Dolci (desserts) includes the traditional Tiramisu, as well as Torta di Mamma Paola, a family recipe of flourless chocolate almond cake. More desserts are vanilla ricotta cheesecake, warm apple tart with raspberry sauce and ice cream, lemon-glazed custard sponge cake and various gelati and sorbets.

We shared the very lemony custard cake with a side of whipped cream and raspberries and the tart loaded with warm apples. Both were—to use a well-worn phrase—to die for!

The Warm Apple Tart with raspberry sauce and ice cream at Masseria dei Vini. Photo by Claudia Carbone.

Well, we didn’t die and neither did the menu. It goes on to offer large selections of dessert wines, cognacs, brandies and Grappe (a potent Italian brandy made by distilling leftovers from winemaking).

With every bite of this meal, I returned to my Italian roots. I marveled at how perfect the flavors blended together and how authentically they brought back my own childhood memories of tastes and smells in my mamma’s kitchen.

Visiting Masseria Caffè

Speaking of tastes and smells, there’s nothing like the aroma wafting out of an Italian bakery. Masseria Caffè is the closest to those in Italy as I’ve seen in this country, featuring all the favorite pastries and panini you find there. Chef Pino’s son, Vito Coladonato, owns and runs the Caffè that sits next door to Masseria dei Vini. After college and a short stint as a physical therapist, he decided it was time to follow in his father’s footsteps.

“It felt natural to do something in the food business,” he said. He was 23 at the time. He found it hard to find traditional pastries and atmosphere of the Old Country, so he created them in his jewel-box bakery on 9th Avenue.

Vito imports a lot of products from Italy like Bio Sicilia, a popular soft drink brand, and other artisanal foods that he sells. He also makes mozzarella in house that fills many of his panini, like Panino Caprese and Panino Parma. A nice selection of insalate sits in the case just below the various frittate in puff pastries.

The Panino Caprese at Masseria Caffe has house-made mozzarella, tomatoes, and pesto sauce on Foccacia. Photo by Claudia Carbone.

An extensive coffee menu begins with Lavazza coffee in a state-of-the-art espresso machine. For me, it was the pastries that caught my eye for authenticity. Italian pastries usually have some kind of filling, like jelly or cream. Vito nailed it with his Pasticciotto Leccese, a shortbread filled with custard cream and wild cherries. And I had to have his Cannolo Siciliano made with sheep’s milk ricotta. Bakers make pastries fresh every morning.

During the time I was there, a steady stream of locals ordered from the glass cases chock full of tempting goodies. Some took their treats away in a house bag, some enjoyed them on tables outside the front door, and others, like us, ate at the counter in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, watching the city go by.

The exterior of the Masseria Caffe. Photo by Claudia Carbone.

Masseria Caffè and Masseria dei Vini belong to La Masseria Restaurant Group that owns three other restaurants in New York City.

-Story by Claudia Carbone

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