Latest news with #Nino's
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Beloved NYC Italian Restaurant 'Rescued' Before Unfortunate Closing
Changing trends and emerging industries have made life hard for restaurant owners, and the effects are being felt all across the country. One of New York City's favorite Italian restaurants was nearly forced to close due to new development in its area, but a last-minute change will allow them to remain in business. In January, Nino's Ristorante announced that it would need to close its location in Manhattan in June. A 23-story, 148-unit building is planned for the restaurant's original location, and the developers planned to demolish the current site of the restaurant. Nino's will live on, as owner Nino Selimaj told Eater that the Italian staple has moved to a new location, occupying what was previously a French restaurant elsewhere on First Avenue. The original Nino's is now closed, giving Selimaj time to shift his business to the new location while acquiring documentation like a liquor license. Clint Eastwood, Angela Lansbury, Chris Noth, Chelsea Clinton and late "Sopranos" star James Gandolfini have all visited Nino's over the years. Classic Italian-American fare is on the menu, as dishes like baked clams, homemade ravioli, rigatoni alla vodka, and chicken Parmesan rank among fan favorites. Many restaurants around the country are dealing with an uncertain future, especially after customer habits changed following the pandemic. Establishments that traditionally relied on in-person diners for the bulk of their business have suffered since the rise of delivery apps like DoorDash and UberEats. Restaurants that do well with delivery orders are also not always able to reap the benefits, as they owe the third-party delivery services a cut of their profits. Nino's is an example of a restaurant that has been able to adjust to adversity, but several others haven't been as fortunate. Eater reported that multiple Italian American restaurants have had to close in New York City, including Frost in Williamsburg and Tomasso in Bensonhurst. We've seen restaurants take on a new life of their own after changing themes or adjusting the menu. Some restaurants have even brought back fan-favorite foods or aesthetics. Now we'll see if Nino's can re-establish itself after moving just before the demolition plans were set in place.
Eater
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Eater
A 35 Year-Old Italian Restaurant Slated To Close Is Rescued by a Legacy Space Uptown
In January, 35-year-old Uptown mainstay, Italian American Nino's Ristorante announced it would have to close in June. Owner Nino Selimaj told Eater that the original location is on track for demolition to make way for a 23-story, 148-unit building from the developer, the Manocherian Brothers. Now, Nino's has found a new location taking over what had been Le Périgord for 53 years, at 405 East 52nd Street, at First Avenue, he says. The original Nino's closed on Monday, allowing Selimaj the time to update the dining room of what had been Le Périgord until 2017, and tend to details like securing a liquor license. Nino's has hosted the likes of Clint Eastwood, Angela Lansbury, Chris Noth, Chelsea Clinton, and members of The Sopranos such as the late James Gandolfini, serving classics like baked clams, homemade ravioli, rigatoni alla vodka, and chicken Parm. It's one of a handful of Italian American restaurants that have had to close (and in this case, relocate), with others including Williamsburg's Frost and Tomasso in Bensonhurst. Babbo is temporarily closed for takeover With Stephen Starr taking over Babbo and Lupa — made famous by Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich — Babbo, open since 1998, has closed to prepare for the transition of ownership. The Italian restaurant will be temporarily closing for renovations as we begin an exciting new chapter,' reads the Instagram post. 'We're working hard behind the scenes to bring you an elevated dining experience, with fresh updates and inspired touches — while keeping the heart and soul of Babbo you know and love.' No confirmation yet whether Mark Ladner is on track to take over as chef. Saga has rolled out a new tasting menu The fine dining Saga menu in Fidi (70 Pine Street, 63rd Floor, at Pearl Street) has quietly changed over, according to a tipster. Since chef Charlie Mitchell took the helm in July, the tasting menu had kept to dishes the late Jamal James Kent served since the restaurant opened — until now. The restaurant is on track to shutter in August for renovations to the space, too. Ukrainian Festival is this weekend The 49th annual St. George Ukrainian Festival is this weekend starting tonight at 5 p.m. and running through Sunday (30 E. Seventh Street, at Third Avenue). EV Grieve reports that 30,000 pierogies have been made in preparation. Sign up for our newsletter.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Shorewood mainstay Nino's Southern Sides looks to open a new location in Fox Point
The Shorewood-based, buffet-style restaurant Nino's Southern Sides may soon be bringing Southern comfort food to Fox Point. The expansion would be a triumph after a rough few years, said Jeffery Carter, director of operations for the Wisconsin market of V&J Food Holding Companies, which operates Nino's, along with several fast food franchises around the country (including numerous Burger King, Haagen-Dazs and Pizza Hut locations). The restaurant was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic harder than most. Two of the business' founders and co-owners, husband and wife duo Odell and Gloria Robinson, contracted the virus. Following six successful years of running the beloved restaurant and 40 years of marriage, Gloria died in April 2020 shortly after she was hospitalized for the virus. The two were high school sweethearts. She had been both tough and pure hearted, friends and family members told the Journal Sentinel at the time. And with decades of experience managing restaurants, Gloria, who had been Nino's kitchen manager, was a staple of the business and a "bright light," Carter told the Journal Sentinel recently. Odell exited the company shortly after her death, seeking to close the family's chapter in a space holding painful reminders of Gloria's absence, Carter said. While the pandemic slowed sales, Nino's was able to survive, selling its signature Southern soul food classics like fried chicken, fried catfish and collard greens, he said. Years later, Nino's is entering a period of growth. The business has already received partial approval to open the new Fox Point location (7 miles north of the Shorewood one) in the Riverpoint Shopping Center. On March 3, the business obtained Plan Commission conditional use approval for the restaurant. The Fox Point Village Board will take up the application at a future meeting. According to V&J Food's application submitted to Fox Point's Plan Commission on Feb. 11, the restaurant is looking to occupy 8775 N. Port Washington Road in the Riverpoint Shopping Center by April 15. Carter said the goal is to open by early summer of 2025. The storefront is the 3,600-square-foot former home of Così, a New York-based fast-casual restaurant chain, which opened its first Wisconsin location at the River Point Village Shopping Center in 2001. The location closed at the end of 2019, according to Fox Point Assistant Village Manager Kevin Ausman, three years after the company first filed for bankruptcy and three months before the company would file for bankruptcy again, according to The Wall Street Journal. The Fox Point Nino's Southern Sides location will be the restaurant's third. Nino's first started serving generous portions of hearty, homestyle Southern comfort food in 2014 at 4475 N. Oakland Ave. in Shorewood. The Robinsons then opened a second restaurant, Nino's Express, on King Drive in 2015. That restaurant has been under different ownership since 2018. The menu at the new Nino's will feature the restaurant's signature Southern-inspired side dishes, including mac and cheese, collard greens, fried corn, pinto beans, yams, mashed potatoes, fries, spaghetti and coleslaw, according to the application. It also includes fan-favorite entrees like catfish fillet, pork chops, turkey legs, meatloaf and butterfly shrimp and desserts like sweet potato pie, peach cobbler, and banana pudding cheesecake. Unlike the Shorewood location, the Fox Point one will not sell breakfast and lunch, Carter said. The restaurant would employ 20 people and stay open between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily, according to the Feb. 11 application. The application also includes future plans to build out the interior and eventually offer seasonal outdoor seating. Carter also shared that Nino's Southern Sides will be a participant at the Summerfest Music Festival taking place June 19 to 21, June 26 to 28 and July 3 to 5. "Our idea is to try to make it the preeminent Southern cuisine brand in the state," he said. Contact Claudia Levens at clevens@ Follow her on X at @levensc13. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Shorewood mainstay Nino's Southern Sides looks to open in Fox Point
