ROBERT DE NIRO-BACKED RESTAURANT TO OPEN IN HUDSON YARDS

Locanda Verde — a sceney Italian destination with regulars like Taylor Swift, Megan Markle, and a slew of others — is opening a second location. The new spot from chef partner Andrew Carmellini, Luke Ostrom, and Josh Pickard, in partnership with actor Robert De Niro, will debut in Hudson Yards (50 Hudson Yards, the corner of Hudson Boulevard East and 24th Street) in November, fifteen years after the original location.

The project has been nearly four years in the works, with De Niro saying he wants a ground-level space “for the neighborhood,” Carmellini tells Eater. The partners (which include the original Locanda Verde owners Ira Drukier and Richard Born) did not want it to feel “super clubby,” pointing to the rise of exclusive clubs with restaurants in New York.

With that directive, the two-level, 6,000-square-foot space features two bars and an outdoor terrace with views across the Hudson River. It’s designed by Roman and Williams. with neutrals and mid-century accents reinforce its warmth.

The new location is more “handsome neighborhood taverna” than the “ristorante” of Tribeca, Carmellini says.

The Locanda Verde menu will resemble the Tribeca listings following its extensive, $2.7 million kitchen renovation, says Carmellini, with a few new items and seasonal offerings. Regulars will find the restaurant’s most popular dishes, including Sardinian sheep’s milk ricotta ($23), “AC’s fire-roasted garlic chicken” ($39), and “my grandmother’s ravioli” ($33).

Locanda Verde at Hudson Yards is the splashiest new spot in a manufactured neighborhood-in-progress for decades. The far west project has already seen waves of restaurants from big names come and go, including Thomas Keller’s TAK Room, which shuttered at the beginning of the pandemic; David Chang’s Kawi; and Citarella Gourmet Market, all closing during the pandemic. A turning point came in 2023 when Wells Fargo bought over 440,000 square feet for $550 million, including what had been Nieman Marcus. Today, Hudson Yards is home to Meta and Warner Bros. Discovery, Turner, HBO, CNN, and L’Oréal USA headquarters.

Related Properties frames 50 Hudson Yards as the “final piece” located “in the heart” of Hudson Yards, the $25 billion development that opened in 2019. The building’s ribbon cutting was in 2022 to mark the opening of the 77-story office building; it’s also where Russ & Daughters opened on the ground floor last July.

A Manhattan stalwart and a critic-proof restaurant, Locanda Verde continues to seduce diners with its prominent partners, accessible fare, and excellent people-watching. In 2019, the restaurant was part of a wage dispute settlement that included Lafayette and other Noho Hospitality restaurants for $5.5 million.

2024-09-13T16:50:35Z dg43tfdfdgfd