Manhattan’s NoMad neighborhood has become quite the hot spot recently, with a bevy of buzzy new restaurants as well as the New York Edition hotel. The streak continues with La Pecora Bianca, an all-day Italian eatery from restaurateur Mark Barak of the popular French restaurant Claudette in Greenwich Village. Chef Simone Bonelli—who worked under Massimo Bottura at Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy —prepares his modern Italian cuisine in a welcoming space designed by Nema Workshop and Chiara de Rege Interiors. The restaurant, which shares the St. James building with the new Rizzoli store, is situated in the former home of Havana Tobacco Company. Some of the original historic details remain in the space, including a marble staircase that once led to the basement’s cigar humidor and a marble column that anchors the open kitchen. Inspired by Italian farmhouses and modern country kitchens, the design team paired humble materials such as reclaimed terra-cotta tiles, custom-made wood-plank tables, and European oak flooring with stylish items including hand-painted wall tiles and brass accents.

La Pecora Bianca’s focus is on lighter fare made with seasonal ingredients sourced from the Hudson Valley and other nearby farms and purveyors. The espresso bar, for example, which turns into an aperitivo

bar later in the evening, uses a custom-made L’Italiano blend roasted by

Toby’s Estate in Brooklyn. In addition to the coffee beans, other local items—private-label jams and preserves, mustard, and sheep and goat milk chocolates from Mast Brothers—are available for purchase. The menu features inspired plates such as braised whole artichoke with mint aioli and anchovy powder and striped bass with romesco, endive, apples, and olives.

La Pecora Bianca, 1133 Broadway, New York; lapecorabianca.com

https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/la-pecora-bianca-new-york