After nearly 120 years of delighting patrons with handmade pasta and exquisite white truffles, Barbetta is set to permanently close its doors this week, marking the end of an era. This iconic Italian eatery, nestled on Manhattan’s renowned Restaurant Row on West 46th Street, will serve its final meals on Friday, February 27, concluding one of the longest family-operated establishments in the history of American dining.
This decision comes in the wake of the passing of its beloved owner, Laura Maioglio, who died in January at the age of 93.
Loyal patrons have been expressing their sadness and sharing their fond memories on social media, lamenting the loss of such a storied institution.
One comment on Instagram encapsulated the sentiment: “Devastated to hear this. Dining at your restaurant before heading to the theater was a must whenever we visited New York. The experiences you offered were nothing short of perfect. We will miss it deeply and cherish those memories for many years.”
‘I took my young nieces to Barbetta for one of our annual holiday get togethers,’ one Instagram user wrote. ‘Three young ladies dressed for a night in NYC with their Aunt. It is a wonderful memory. You will be missed.’
Established in 1906 by Sebastiano Maioglio, Laura’s father, Barbetta found its current home in the Theater District during the 1920s after the family acquired four adjacent brownstones from the Astor estate.
Founded in 1906 by her father, Sebastiano Maioglio, the restaurant moved to its current Theater District home in the 1920s after the family purchased four adjoining brownstones from the Astor estate.
It quickly became a magnet for opera singers, Broadway performers and well-heeled New Yorkers seeking a taste of Northern Italy.
Gunther Blobel and his wife, Laura Maioglio stroll around New York
When Maioglio took over in 1962, she transformed the restaurant from a traditional Italian spot into one of the city’s first refined Italian dining rooms, long before regional Italian cuisine became fashionable in America.
In 1963, Barbetta’s garden patio became one of the first open-air dining locations in Manhattan outside Central Park. With century-old trees and fresh flowers, it became one of New York’s most sought after summer reservations.
Maioglio graduated from Bryn Mawr College with a degree in Art History before taking the reins at Barbetta. She took frequent trips to Italy, earning first-hand knowledge about Italian food and wine.
Her knowledge seeped into the restaurant, where chefs served up agnolotti pasta, risotto, and seafood inspired by Maioglio’s native region, Piemonte, at a time when many Italian restaurants were associated exclusively with red-sauce dishes.
This location also became one of the first Italian restaurants to serve imported wine to its guests.
In recent years, Barbetta was honored with the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.
‘It’s hard to believe now, with Italian wines having gained so much in prestige and popularity, that in 1962 only one Barolo was imported into America and that Barbaresco and Gattinara were not imported at all,’ Laura Maioglio said.
‘For many years, we imported the only Barbaresco and Gattinara to be found in this country,’ she added.
Garden patio at Barbetta Restaurant in New York’s Theater District
Inside the glamorous dining room at Barbetta in New York
Customers eating inside Barbetta Restaurant in New York
The family posted a final farewell message on their website, inviting diners to visit before closing their doors for good.
‘It was Laura’s wish that guests continue to gather here in the spirit she cherished, and we invite you to join us during this final month to celebrate the food, wine, and memories that have defined Barbetta for generations,’ the statement reads.
In honor of their wine-selling roots, the restaurant will also be ‘sharing’ their wine cellar – bottles listed at $200 and above offered at half their listed price.
Barbetta will officially close on February 27. Daily Mail has reached out to Barbetta for a comment.
