July 9, 2018
Chef Jonathan Benno Launches New Restaurant at The Evelyn—with Two More on the Way
Jonathan Benno has spent decades making a name for himself in the New York culinary world, first with stints at known establishments like Per Se and Craft, and more recently as the head chef at Lincoln Ristorante. Now he’s set to dazzle NoMad’s taste buds with his unique take on traditional Italian cuisine. The Leonelli Taberna, which debuted officially on June 25, represents the first of three concepts Benno will launch over the coming months. The Benno restaurants are part of the complete transformation of the Gilded Age Gershwin hotel into the Evelyn.
The Leonelli Taberna, according to the restaurant website, is a merging of “old New York” with “old-world Italy,” serving rustic Italian dishes in a casual, art-deco inspired space encompassing a dining room and bar/lounge area. Eater reports that along with Italian staples like eggplant parmesan and lasagna, the menu features tempting specialties such as gnocchi with braised oxtail and braised honeycomb tripe with tomatoes and pecorino romano. The drink menu leans heavily toward Italian wines and beers, and after dinner, guests can enjoy a variety of delectable pastries and desserts created in-house by baker Lisa Kalemkiarian and pastry chef Lindsey Bittner.
With Leonelli Taberna, Benno is just getting started. On July 9, Benno will open Leonelli Focacceria e Pasticceria, a fast-casual bakery and café, in the front of the hotel; and in the fall, just behind the Taberna, he will open a fine-dining Mediterranean establishment under his own name, Benno.
Come by and enjoy NoMad’s newest Italian dining establishment founded by one of New York’s prominent chefs come back often to what is sure to become a center of NoMad’s kaleidoscope of fine food experiences.
Leonelli Taverna
7 East. 27th Street (Just in from the corner of 27th Street and Fifth Avenue)
New York, NY 10016
(212) 451-9495
http://www.leonellirestaurants.com
Hours:
Daily: 5:00 pm – 11:00 pm, with the bar remaining open until 1:00 am.