Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Openings Roundup: Scarpetta, Hundred Acres, Vino
By
John Del Signore
Published May 24, 2008
Modified May 24, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
John Del Signore
Published May 24, 2008
Modified May 24, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Scarpetta: Chef Scott Conant (L’Impero, Alto) has opened a new restaurant on West 14th Street called Scarpetta (pictured), which is an Italian expression meaning “little shoe” – or the shape bread takes when used to soak up a dish. The 70-seat restaurant features a retractable roof in the main dining room, alfresco dining out front, and a long mahogany bar offering a separate menu and some “wine-inspired” cocktails. Conant’s ingredients here are, of course, seasonal and “farm fresh,” ranging from small tasting plates to fuller entrees such as imported ricotta raviolini with chicken livers and spinach puree, and boneless osso buco with saffron-parmigiano orzo . 355 West 14th Street, (212) 691-0555.
Hundred Acres: Marc Meyer and Vicki Freeman were fed up with the way their Macdougal Street restaurant Provence had become just “a special-occasion restaurant.” According to Eater they “want a place that people would be happy coming to all the time” – not a bad goal for a restaurateur. So they gutted the space and have reopened as Hundred Acres, a more casual iteration of the stuffier predecessor. Two back rooms filled with wooden tables and herb planters are meant to evoke a contemporary farmhouse; up front the classic white subway tiles by the bar suggest an old-timey butcher shop. Currently open for dinner only, the rustic American menu features modestly-priced entrees (the most expensive is $22, most cost much less) like walnut pesto pasta or the corned beef tongue with multigrain bread, mache and ramp relish. 38 Macdougal Street, (212) 475-7500.
Vino: Upper East Siders don’t have to be envious of all the wine bars opening downtown; the trend is catching on in their neighborhood, too! Located between 66th and 67th Street, Vino is owned by the Florence natives behind Mediterraneo. Andrea Strong reports that the 70-seat room strives for Italian authenticity with a “cozy and rustic” vibe, distinguished by modern Italian music, floor to ceiling windows, vintage chandeliers, big soccer matches on the TV and plenty of those Italian wine bottles wrapped in rope. For drinking, they’ve got over 60 exclusively Italian wines to accompany small plates like marinated Italian anchovies with butter and toasted bread. Heartier fare includes a Lasagna Bolognese with bechamel sauce. 1268 Second Avenue, (212) 744-5370.
Photo courtesy Daniel Krieger/Scarpetta.
Tagged
hundred acres
new
nyc
open
opening
restaurant
review
scarpetta
upper east side
village
Vino
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
Published Oct 10, 2026
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Food
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian
By
Robert Sietsema
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .