18-07-2025
The Four Horsemen Follow-Up Is as Exciting as We Hoped It Would Be
is a born-and-raised New Yorker who is an editor for Eater's Northeast region and Eater New York, was the former Eater Austin editor for 10 years, and often writes about food and pop culture.
The Italian restaurant's name translates to 'little horses,' which makes for a befitting spinoff, but there's nothing small about I Cavallini. The Italian restaurant has over 60 seats in a dining room that has breathing room. The bigger kitchen allows the Four Horsemen executive chef and I Cavallini co-partner Nick Curtola, chef de cuisine Ben Zook, and the rest of the staff to expand their culinary prowess in this new playground.
Getting in: I honestly was expecting to line up outside the restaurant for a walk-in, especially after the initial batch of online reservations were immediately snatched up. But during my random checking of the Resy link, I grabbed a 5 p.m. seat for two. Walking up to the restaurant a few minutes before the reservation time, there was already a short line of people awaiting walk-in spaces.
A dining table at I Cavallini. Nadia Chaudhury/Eater Northeast
The space: As to be expected, I Cavallini is very cool, thanks to interior designer Amy Butchko. It's a warm, bright, and elegant space framed by whitewashed brick walls in a room aligned with blond wooden tables and chairs. The back bar and the shelves above the kitchen are full of sculptures, books, and a framed photo of the Four Horsemen co-founder Justin Chearno, who died in 2024. We were seated across from a vibrant painting that I can only describe as an artist monkey in front of a canvas. Even in the bathrooms, there are painted murals, including the delightful big ol' bucket of pasta next to a trippy rock band.
The food: One of the most interesting dishes I've had in a while was the nervetti and onion salad ($19). It's a beautiful, jiggly, wet pile (complimentary) of sliced and chunked beef tendons and onions, soaked in chive blossom vinegar. It's more of a charcuterie plate than a salad, and it was still a meaty wonder.
Of the pastas, my shining star was the gnocchi sardi ($32). The bowl came with little Sardinian pasta, plump itty bitty shrimps, and small zolfini beans swimming in an herby buttery broth. I could have used some bread, or maybe I should have held onto the focaccia ($18, paired with a whipped ricotta and roasted cherry tomatoes) we ordered for the beginning, since I was spooning up the broth to drink on its own.
The nervetti and onion salad at I Cavallini. Nadia Chaudhury/Eater Northeast
The side of chilled cucumbers ($14) doused in colatura di alici (an Italian fish sauce) was a nice reprieve from the heat outside, but it would've been better suited in the antipasti section of the menu.
The desserts: You have to judge an Italian or Italian-ish restaurant based on its tiramisu, and I'm pleased to report that the coffee-soaked dessert ($15) at I Cavallini is quite good. The plated sweet is easily shareable between two people — in ladyfinger terms, it's three pieces wide and two pieces tall, served on a plate.
We also got the olive oil cake ($18), which was fine, but the side of marinated strawberries from cult-beloved Harry's Berries made it much better. A tip: add some strawberries to the tiramisu; you won't regret it.
The drinks: While the Four Horsemen sticks to wine and beer, I Cavallini has a liquor license, so this means first-time cocktails from the team, led by bar director Jojo Colona. The results are playful drinks with spirits and, because it's a cool Italian joint, amaro. I started with the Pomozoni ($19), a bright Italian gin drink made with Sungold tomatoes, Dola Dira (a rhubarb-ish Italian aperitivo), lemon, and a touch of salt. It was a perfect summer cocktail that I could imagine drinking out on a patio somewhere.
The Pomozoni at I Cavallini. Nadia Chaudhury/Eater Northeast
For the main meal, I switched to a glass of wine from the all-Italian list, from wine director Flo Barth. Our server recommended the Tiberio Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo 2024 ($18), a rosé-ish wine that was served slightly chilled, lending a lightness to a full flavor, pairing well with our pastas and seafood.
To end the meal, I got the frothy fun Dolce Amaro Fizz ($21), an egg cream-like concoction made with Amaro Noveis, coffee liqueur, shaken egg yolk, cream, hazelnut, and prosecco for some bubbles.
The takeaway: As my friend and I walked out of the restaurant, it was cool seeing the team (including LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy) hanging out by the bar. It was also nice seeing that the Four Horsemen was still packed across the street. On my commute home, I listened to This Is Happening for the first time in a while. The album works as a reflection on the restaurant, too: I Cavallini is finally happening. But what makes I Cavallini stand out is that the team takes what they know already works and fleshes it out in this new restaurant brimming with friendly service, a warm atmosphere, and high-quality food and drink, without being gimmicky.
