New Neighbor Roundup: Felice Flatiron, CHITORI & UOVO Pasta

Several exciting new businesses have recently opened in the neighborhood. This month’s roundup features a variety of new neighbors, from a Japanese izakaya to the latest location of a family-run Italian restaurant. Stay in the know with the latest New Neighbors in Flatiron & NoMad.

Felice Flatiron, 220 Fifth Avenue, @felice.restaurants
The family-run Italian restaurant Felice has opened its newest location in the neighborhood. Situated within a historic building overlooking Madison Square Park, Felice Flatiron features a grand interior with 18-foot ceilings, a large bar, and a 30-foot illuminated wine wall. “Felice was conceived from the beginning as an extension of the New Yorker’s living room, a place where you can have exceptional wine with friends, eat genuine Italian food, and simply feel at home,” says Managing Partner Jacopo Giustiniani. “Flatiron is the most complete expression of that idea we’ve ever built.” Upon entering, guests are met by a warm interior combining contemporary design and New York sensibility led by Bonetti/Kozerski Architecture. The largest bar Felice has created to date is the centerpiece of the restaurant and is wrapped in Grigio Versilia marble inspired by traditional Tuscan enotecas. The space is also adorned in custom Italian oak millwork crafted in Florence throughout. The tall ceilings paired with wrap around windows bring strong natural light, openness, and scale just steps away from the iconic Flatiron Building.

Felice’s menu is rooted in seasonal ingredients and offers a range of Tuscan-inspired dishes, from signature pastas to specialties. Start your meal with a shareable Il Toscano Plate featuring a selection of salumi, Pecorino, olives, and crostini. Or, try the Nerano Pizzette with stracciatella cheese, deep-fried zucchini, Pecorino Romano, and lemon zest. For a main, enjoy pastas like Fettuccine alla Bolognese and Ravioli della Casa filled with spinach and ricotta. Seafood and chicken entrees are also spotlights on the menu including the Branzino al Cartoccio and Milanese. For a lighter option, order the fresh Tricolore Salad with avocado, buffalo mozzarella, and your choice of protein. Pair your meal with a drink from Felice’s curated beverage program that offers standout wines and craft cocktails including a Dirty Martini Spritz. Save room for dessert and indulge in the Tiramisu or Torta al Pistacchio. Felice Flatiron is open daily and offers weekend brunch. Plan your next meal at the latest flagship! Make your reservation.

CHITORI, 37 West 26th Street, (718) 988-6688, @chitori.nyc
CHITORI, the new Japanese restaurant and bar has now opened in NoMad. Specializing in izakaya dining including yakitori, nabe, and shared plates, CHITORI offers an inviting, laid-back dining experience. “We’re excited to join Flatiron & NoMad because the neighborhood has exactly the energy CHITORI was built for: people finishing work, meeting friends, and looking for a place where dinner can naturally turn into drinks and late-night conversation,” says the CHITORI Team. With a menu led by Michelin yakitori chefs, CHITORI focuses on authentic Japanese grilling traditions while blending the energy of izakaya culture.

Start your dinner with a few hot and cold appetizers such as Hamachi Carpaccio with yellowtail and Takoyaki, octopus fritters with avocado puree. As a core dish of the menu, classic and innovative yakitori options are offered. Try salt-grilled signatures and soy-glazed skewers from Chicken Breast with Kyoto Leek to American Wagyu. Highlighted vegetarian skewers include Atsuage Tofu, Cherry Tomato, and Shiitake Mushroom. CHITORI also serves fusion-style Nabenomo, Japanese hot pot. Guests can choose from three distinct broth options such as, Gold Pot with a golden collagen broth with fish maw and chicken, Silver Pot featuring a clear silver broth with coconut water and chicken, and Red Pot, a Thai-spiced red broth with tom yum chicken. For comforting classics, savor the Chicken Yaki Udon or the Taipei Omurice. Complement your meal with cocktails rooted in Japanese flavors, like the Sakura, a sesame and lapsang Manhattan or the Raichi, a sake highball with lychee. Gather your friends to visit CHITORI for your next night out in the neighborhood! CHITORI is open Tuesday – Sunday. Reserve your table.

UOVO, 13 West 28th Street, (646) 571-8939, @uovopasta
UOVO, the restaurant that hand makes fresh pasta in Bologna, Italy daily and flies it overnight to the US, has opened its first New York City location in NoMad. Founded by a group of close friends, UOVO’s concept is driven by a commitment to culinary expertise and precision. Their pasta is made each day by a team of sfogline, artisan pasta-makers in Emilia-Romagna, that use traditional techniques such as sheeting and cutting, along with simple, high-quality ingredients including flour and Italian eggs. “The difference comes down to two things: the eggs and the hands—and you find both at their best in Emilia-Romagna,” says co-founder Carlo Massimini. “That’s why we make all of our pasta in our own kitchen in Bologna. We’re excited to bring that same experience to New York.” To create the menu, the UOVO Team partnered with some of their favorite restaurants in Italy to highlight several of the country’s most iconic regional pasta dishes.

Similarly to the Los Angeles location, UOVO’s interior features counter seating offering a front-row view of chefs preparing pasta. The menu includes over a dozen pastas you can order a la carte, as well as tasting menus that come with a starter, three pasta courses, and dessert. UOVO sources nearly every ingredient from Italy, including Basilicata tomatoes, 24-month-aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, guanciale, and premium olive oil, among others that make each pasta authentic in flavor and presentation. Begin your meal with an appetizer like the Insalata Arugula & Mizuna with hearts of palm and roasted almonds. For your pasta, choose from a variety across origin from Bologna, Roma, and Pasta Classica. Highlights include, the Ragú, an original recipe shared by “Antica Trattoria della Gigina,” that pre-dates the 1950’s made with beef and pork, and without cheese, milk or cream. The Cacio e Pepe features homemade tonnarelli with Pecorino Romano DOP and imported black pepper in collaboration with “Trattoria da Danilo.” A seafood-forward option is the Vongole, handmade tonnarelli in a white wine clam sauce that’s prepared following the “Massimini” family recipe. Pair your meal with a selection of red, white, or sparkling wines, then finish with a dessert like the Tiramisu’ al Cucchiaio or the Panna Cotta con Saba, topped with grape syrup. Join UOVO for a unique taste of Italy in NoMad! UOVO is open daily from 5:30 – 10:30 pm. 

Header & Thumbnail Photo Credit: Felice Flatiron