We recently caught up with Joe Bastianich for an upcoming feature in Westchester Magazine’s August Dining Issue. In between launching a 400-seat steak house in Vegas, managing his Italian vineyards in Friuli and Maremma, buying for his fine Italian wine market in Manhattan and operating his 15-unit nationwide restaurant empire, Bastianich has been percolating on his first ever suburban restaurant venture. We caught up with this busy, busy man just before he jetted off to tend his vines in northern Italy, where he summers with his family. His newest restaurant, as you might remember from past posts, is located in our very own Port Chester, in the once decrepit Tarry Lodge.
Here’s the news—some of which our loyal EATER readers already knew: he’s keeping the name Tarry Lodge, and it’ll be a value- and ingredient-driven Roman-style pizzeria, similar to L.A.’s Mozza. Mozza, which was developed in partnership with La Brea Bakery’s Nancy Silverton, is a huge success on the left coast, and is packing them in with features like a hand-made mozzarella bar that also showcases imports like mozzarella di buffalo from Campania and burrata from Puglia. We’ve been drooling over the food-porn photos in this month’s Metropolitan Home feature on Mozza.
While Tarry Lodge won’t have Mozza’s mozzarella bar, nor is it in partnership with Nancy Silverton, it will feature Roman-style pizzas, trattoria standards, antipasti, and large-format mains—restaurant speak for family-style dishes, and dishes meant for two. He’s positioning Tarry Lodge as a reasonably-priced, family-friendly spot where local families—who are spending their own money and not charging expense accounts—can take their families and feel comfortable. As with all of the Bastianich/Batali/Nusser ventures, it will feature, says Joe, “Sourced products from our friends.” Let’s hope that means Cesare Cassela’s incredible Chianina Beef from Tutto Bene Ranch—which was delicious served alla Fiorentina at Bastianich’s Wine and Swine party—along with Cassela curatorial line of heirloom beans sold through Republic of Beans.
Of course, we only have room to give you the teaser here, folks. If you’d like to learn where Bastianich dines in Westchester, why he chose Port Chester for his first suburban restaurant–as well all more details about Tarry Lodge– you’ll have to wait until Westchester Magazine’s fabulous August Dining Issue comes out. Take it from us—it’s a doozy.
P.S. Remember–you saw it first at Eater! (And technically, you already saw it here, unofficially, a couple of weeks ago.)
