Barbetta has existed on W. 46th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues for almost a century (long before the term “Restaurant Row” was coined), and today Barbetta continues to be known for its outstanding cuisine and enduring reputation. It stands as a testament to the timelessness of tradition.
This iconic restaurant was founded in 1906 on W 39th Street by Sebastian Maiorio, a native of Fubine in Piedmont, Italy, and is the oldest restaurant in New York still owned by the founding family. Barbetta moved to his W46th Street location in 1925 and is now headed by Sebastian's daughter Laura Maiorio, who takes this job very seriously.
“We changed a lot, not the philosophy, but the details,” she said. “My father served authentic Italian food, and I made it even more authentic. When I took it over, I completely changed the interior of the restaurant, so it closed for two years.” added Laura, who earned a degree in art history from Bryn Mawr College.
She undertook a remarkable transformation of Barbetta's interior in 1962, infusing it with the spirit and aesthetic of her father's native Piedmont, seamlessly weaving elements of the region's rich tapestry into the fabric of the restaurant, ensuring every inch of it was authentic. We tried to create an Italian atmosphere. “My father never got to see the restaurant after I changed it. He had a stroke in 1962 and died shortly after,” Laura said.
The restaurant's menu is inspired by traditional Piedmontese dishes, flavors and techniques, from delicate handmade gnocchetti to roasted venison. Laura explained: “Our signature dishes are typical of the region where my father is from. In fact, my mother was too, but she was not involved in restaurants in my father's time. After I took over, I had a lot to do, and one day I said, “Oh, please come and help me.'' She came and she loved it. She loved being with the public with all her heart. ”
Laura's mother also had famous fans, including the Rolling Stones, who were regulars at Barbetta. “They fell in love with her. They called her mom even though she wasn't her mother's type at all,” Laura recalled in an interview with Manhattan Sideways. After she died of leukemia, Laura had to break her news to the band on her next visit. “They came in and said, 'How's your mom doing?'” And she had passed away just two weeks before, and we had a picture in the coat room with a black velvet border. “I was there,” Laura said. “They went out, bought a bouquet of flowers, brought it home, put it in front of her picture and said, 'This is for mom.'”
Laura then focused on the drinks offered and began expanding her knowledge of wine, eventually creating a diverse wine list spanning 50 pages. Today, Barbetta's guests can not only taste delicious food, but also the finest wines carefully selected by her.
It proved to be a winning recipe. Barbetta's original restaurant was located near the old Metropolitan Opera House (1411 Broadway) and attracted the likes of Enrico Caruso, Giacomo his Puccini, and Arturo Toscanini. In 1925, Laura's father paid approximately $250,000 for his four adjoining brownstones on W. 46th Street. These facilities were built by the Astor family in his late 19th century. And its current location on Restaurant Row has also attracted a lot of attention from modern celebrities, from Kiss and Elizabeth Taylor to Jackie Kennedy and Lynn Manuel Miranda. hamilton The Broadway opening party was also held at Barbetta).
Laura recalls that iconic artist Andy Warhol was a frequent customer. Her husband, Dr. Günter Blobel, who would go on to win the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1999, and Warhol met one night at Barbetta. Laura recalls: “My husband Gunther was very handsome and had great gray hair. On this night, he always cut his own hair, so I told him that his hair was sticking out and looked like a radish. Andy Warhol was there that night, so they went to his table and I introduced my husband to him. Andy Warhol asked Gunther if he was an actor. After we left , Gunter turned to me and said, “You said I looked like a radish, Andy Warhol thought I was an actor!”
Laura and Günther didn't have any children, but what does the future hold for this legendary restaurant? “I can't really think about it,” Laura said. “I couldn't force myself to think that.”
With over a century of history, Barbetta remains at the top of its game. I'll leave you with the last word in his final print edition of 2020 for Zagat, the influential cooking guide. “Most people would still agree that this is an oldie but a goodie.”
