A New All-Day Cafe in NoMad, A Hazan Doc, and More NYC Italian Food News

Nomad Girl Brings Milanese Vibes to Manhattan

There’s arguably never been a better time to feel like you’re in Italy while in Manhattan, with restaurants popping up all over town with expansive terraces and spritzes aplenty. The latest example is Nomad Girl, which opened this week at 1151 Broadway near Madison Square Park.

The all-day cafe and restaurant from Milan native Alex Cesaria and fellow restaurateur Rich Simeone features breakfast, weekend brunch, lunch, dinner, and happy hour menus. According to a report in thecitylife.org, the Nomad Girl team is curating an intriguing list of Italian products and ingredients, including coffee from NYC Italian coffee roaster Dell’Aria, sandwiches served on Piadina imported from Italy, and luxe dinner options including wagyu carpaccio and 24-month aged prosciutto.

How to Help Get Marcella Made

A few weeks back, Appetito was on hand for a special evening devoted to discussing a forthcoming documentary about legendary cookbook author Marcella Hazan. Presented by Gruppo Italiana in collaboration with the culinary committee of the National Arts Club on Gramercy Park, the event featured a discussion between director Peter Miller and Hazan’s son and fellow cookbook author Giuliano Hazan, with an appearance by executive chef of the Leopard at Des Artistes and Appetito contributor Jordan Frosolone. 

Miller, a filmmaker and longtime producer for fellow documentarian Ken Burns, spoke at length about his passion for Italian cooking, sparked by Marcella Hazan, the cooking teacher who wrote the influential book Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. He showed a clip from the in-progress film, then introduced Giuliano Hazan, who discussed his mother’s legacy with Miller. Later, Frosolone joined to discuss Hazan’s outsized impact on Italian cooking in America, and served her fried eggplant balls to the 100-plus strong, standing-room crowd.

The evening was held in part to raise awareness for the film, and to seek donations to help Miller and his team complete it for a hoped-for 2024 release. You can donate via the International Documentary Association page, and sign up for a newsletter from Miller to track the film’s progress and to learn about upcoming events. 

Other NYC Italian Food News

It seems like barely a month goes by without a NYC Italian restaurant opening a location in Los Angeles. The newest member of the bicoastal club is Dante, which is now serving its beloved Garibaldi and other Italian-inspired cocktails atop the Maybourne Beverly Hills hotel. >>> Time Out NY reports that Levante, an Italian restaurant in Long Island City, Queens, has teamed with Puglia-based Calafuria Rosé to host a biweekly Thursday night outdoor film series from July 13-August 24. The evenings will feature prix-fixe Apulian-themed menus and classic Italian films from the 1960s and 1970s. Details and reservations are available via Levante’s website. >>> Be sure to check out Appetito's other NYC-related news stories from this week, including a recap of our exciting launch party at Song' E Napule, and Camille Becerra's excellent new menu for her gig at Ace Hotel Brooklyn.