Barbetta – the oldest Italian restaurant in New York and oldest restaurant in the Theatre District at 113 years old – is outfitted in four townhouses that date back from 1874 to 1881. Its outside is deceiving, given the brownstone façade and shielding trees, and you might pass it by during the day if you don’t carefully look to see the restaurant’s brown-tinted, vertical sign. But when you walk down the two steps to the restaurant’s ground level and enter, it feels like you’ve been transported to a world of old-school European royalty.
The parlor floor, which has its own private entrance from the street, consists of the 1881 townhouse’s original dining room, library (now known as the Wine Library) and drawing room (now known as the Rose Room). The original fireplace, as well as the woodwork and period details, is still intact.
Current owner Laura Maioglio, who took over her father Sebastiano Maioglio’s restaurant in 1962, purposely redesigned the interior to pay homage to her family’s heritage and to evoke elegance. This, she felt, would help serve as a backdrop to the food Barbetta served – the cuisine of Piedmonte, Italy’s northwestern-most region that borders on Switzerland and France, where her family’s from.
“From a decorative point of view, the style of 18th century Piedmonte was at its height,” Maioglio explained.
Though she never worked with her father or behind the scenes in Barbetta before, Maioglio was very cultured and had a degree in art history from Bryn Mawr College. By the time she was in college, she had already been collecting antiques in Italy and occasionally in New York, and knew how to negotiate with sellers. Maioglio realized that, if she wanted this project to succeed, she would have to be precise and find as many authentic pieces as possible.
The hanging chandelier in the main dining room is just one example of her collector’s eye and the authentic Italian style. The chandelier, which dates back to 1775, had actually belonged to the Savoys – Italy’s royal family who ruled from 1861 to 1946 and lived in a palazzo in Turin (Piedmonte’s capital). When the Italian people voted to become a republic in 1946, nearly a year after World War II ended, the House of Savoy’s rule concluded. One clause stated that the family could never return and another clause stripped them of their wealth, including their properties.
“[The government] was selling the furniture in that palazzo, but I negotiated that chandelier for two years [until] they finally sold it to me,” Maioglio said without disclosing how much she spent to purchase it.
Another big task Maioglio had was finding 180 identical chairs from the 18th century. She visited the Accorsi–Ometto Museum in Turin (Italy’s first decorative arts museum) and found a chair that fit her vision. With the museum’s permission, she reproduced the model chair in Italy and had all 180 chairs shipped back to the United States. Maioglio also obtained a 1631 Francesco Fabbri harpsichord that’s currently on display in the restaurant’s foyer.
Unfortunately, her father never saw Barbetta’s transformation because he later passed away after suffering a stroke. Following his death, Maioglio purchased the two backyards of the adjoining brownstones and combined them in 1963 to make a giant garden. The garden is open during the warm weather and even serves as an outdoor venue for private parties and weddings. It showcases century-old trees, plus magnolia, wisteria, oleander, jasmine and gardenia plants.
The prestigious and highly selective non-profit cultural association Locali Storici d’Italia designated Barbetta a “Locale Storico,” or “Historic Establishment,” in 1991. To be considered for that title, “the premise must have at least 70 years of operations, preserved environments and original furnishings, memorabilia, memories and historical documentation on events and illustrious visits.” At that time, it was the first and only American restaurant to have been given that honor. Now, only Caffe Reggio (located in Greenwich Village) has joined Barbetta in representing the United States. With that said, the restaurant’s interior cannot be altered in any way.
Top photo of restaurant emblem from Barbetta’s website
Author
George Fiala has worked in radio, newspapers and direct marketing his whole life, except for when he was a vendor at Shea Stadium, pizza and cheesesteak maker in Lancaster, PA, and an occasional comic book dealer. He studied English and drinking in college, international relations at the New School, and in his spare time plays drums and fixes pinball machines.
