Giobatta
It was a sad day when chef Francesco Buitoni hung up his apron and closed the doors of his beloved Red Hook eatery. For nearly 15 years, Mercato showcased the fresh, bright flavors of Buitoni s native Rome in delicious, deceptively simple dishes. But the seventh-generation pasta maker and two-time James Beard nominee is not done in the kitchen. Days before lockdown, he opened Giobatta Alimentari in Tivoli, an Italian restaurant and provisions market. The menu features warming soups, delightfully dressed salads, antipasto, half a dozen handmade pastas, and two to three fish and meat mains. In a refreshing break from avant-garde experimentalists, Buitoni s strength is not in breaking the mold but in perfecting the classics. Recognizable menu items will comfort you a Genovese basil pesto over linguine, a traditional meat ragu bolognese served with pappardelle while the unfamiliar depth of flavor rouses you from your culinary slumber.