A silent movement is being established throughout Europe. It is not a new trend, but a rediscovery of what has always counted. More and more chefs are directing their art to places without white tablecloths, where simplicity and quality meet naturally. It is a return to the joy that Italians have always known: the simple pleasure to sit in the trattoria, taste authentic flavors, a good glass of wine and that unmistakable feeling of being exactly where you have to be.
That spirit found a new home in New York with the reopening of Mozzarella & Vino, right in front of the MoMA. From its large windows, guests can see the facade of the museum – a reminder that food, like art, can excite through beauty. After closing during the pandemic and a complete renovation, the restaurant reopens five years later as part of the Group Il Gattopardo, founded by Paula Bolla Sorrentino, her husband, the unforgettable Gianfranco Sorrentino, and the talented chef Vito Gnazzo.
After Il Gattopardo — a classic in Midtown where the New York elite meets for business lunches or elegant dinners – and The Leopard at des Artistes, the refined retreat of the Upper West Side, the group now presents a new expression of its culinary universe. Mozzarella & Vino brings the dedication of the group to quality and service in a more relaxed and contemporary context, perfectly in line with the growing demand for a refined but informal catering. The restaurant offers the experience of excellent food and attentive service in an atmosphere designed for everyday pleasure. For the first time in the history of the group, it also offers “Italian breakfast” – the traditional croissant accompanied by cappuccino or espresso, prepared by the bartender of trust.
“We wanted to create something more casual, without ever compromising quality,” explains the owner Paula Bolla Sorrentino. «As a group, we like to think of embracing all the diversity of New York. You can see a CEO lunch from Il Gattopardo and, a few steps further, a group of young professionals enjoy a meal from Mozzarella & Vino. Different environments, same spirit, the same care for good food and for an authentic welcome».
♪ The Gattopardo evokes the cultural greatness of southern Italy, Mozzarella & Vino celebrates Italy in all its breadth. The menu recalls the ingredients that Italians love most – those who eat every day – with many products imported directly from Italy, including a rich selection of cheeses and meats. The same name was born, significantly, during a family dinner. «One of our children looked at the menu and said: “Is there so much mozzarella and wine, why don’t you call it that way?” Paula recalls smiling. «It seemed immediately natural. Simple, joyful and very Italian, just like the food we wanted to serve”.
Completely renovated, the restaurant now develops on two floors immersed in a soft light and in a discreet elegance. Chef Partner Vito Gnazzo and Executive Chef Alessandro Pelis, whose creations honor the Italian tradition while embracing a refined and contemporary sensibility.
The project was first imagined by Paula and her late husband Gianfranco Sorrentino, whose passion for Italian culture inspired every detail of the Il Gattopardo Group. “For Gianfranco, every dish and every glass of wine was a way to tell a story”, says Paula. “He believed that catering could be a form of culture, a way to help people discover true Italy. This is the spirit we want to keep alive.”.
That vision is also shared by Gabriel Berlendis, who has collaborated with the group for years and has curated the new wine card. “With Mozzarella & Vino we want guests to discover Italy by region,” he explains. “We want to make them taste native vines and small producers who perhaps do not know. Gianfranco always said: “We must not serve Chardonnay or Pinot – everyone knows them. Instead, we have a unique vine, the best we can find.” He believed that people came to us to discover, not to repeat what he already knows.”.
It could not be otherwise for an entrepreneur like Gianfranco Sorrentino, convinced that the restaurants are also ambassadors of Italian culture. Through food and wine, their locals continue to make Italy live, not only in the flavors, but also in the stories and traditions that accompany them. In doing so, they tell an Italy that continues to evolve: vibrant, dynamic and deeply authentic.
“With all the options that exist today, I think people are really looking for a place to feel comfortable,” Paula says. “A place that makes you feel at home, where you eat well and where there is a real balance between quality and price. This is our goal: do not define what is high or low, but offer something real and genuine.”.
IL GATTOPARDO GROUP
The Gattopardo Group was founded by Paula Bolla Sorrentino, the late Gianfranco Sorrentino and chef Vito Gnazzo, with the mission of bringing authentic Italian culture, cuisine and hospitality to New York. The group includes three restaurants of great prestige – The Gattopardo, The Leopard at des Artistes and Mozzarella & Vino – each of which expresses a different face of the Italian gastronomic heritage.
Il Gattopardo – Situato all’interno delle storiche Rockefeller Townhouses su West 54th Street, è un punto di riferimento di Midtown per la cucina raffinata dell’Italia meridionale. Progettato dagli architetti K/R, unisce eleganza sobria e comfort contemporaneo, con un bar, un salone per eventi privati e un menù che reinterpreta i sapori del Sud Italia in chiave moderna.
The Leopard at des Artistes – Collocato nell’iconico Hotel des Artistes nell’Upper West Side, è circondato dai celebri murales di Howard Chandler Christy e offre un’atmosfera di sofisticata eleganza. La sua cucina riflette la diversità delle tradizioni regionali italiane, dal Nord al Sud, con rispetto per l’autenticità, gli ingredienti e l’ospitalità italiana.
Mozzarella & Vino – Di fronte al MoMA, è l’espressione più casual e contemporanea del gruppo, un’enoteca che celebra la semplicità, gli ingredienti genuini e una carta dei vini in continua evoluzione, curata con passione da piccoli produttori indipendenti italiani.
Together, the three restaurants embody the philosophy of the Il Gattopardo family: culture through cooking and the belief that true hospitality is a form of art.
L’articolo Riapre in the heart of Midtown Mozzarella & Vino, a classic Italian cuisine comes from IlNewyorkese.
