We can’t deny that there is a new food category: those that are “instagrammable” – because it is not enough a dish to be tasty, it has to be beautiful to get a nice photo. Joking aside, we know this is true, right? In fact, social media is making people more worried about food presentation. And if food can be photogenic, restaurants can also be, right? Here in New York, one of the most successful places on Instagram is Pietro Nolita. The reason? The restaurant is all pink. Need another reason?
Well, the pink factor was the big reason why I went there with my friend Raquel last week. But I really wanted to know if the place was more than that. We had been at Pietro on Thursday, at lunch time. Pietro Nolita is owned by Mina Soliman and Pietro Quaglia, that already worked at fashion designer Dolce & Gabbana. The concept behind the restaurant is pretty cool. Quaglia used to eat only at diners when he first moved to New York from Milan at age 19. He’s seen lots of restaurants in the U.S. try to evoke traditional restaurants from Italy, like trattorias, and he wanted one to do the opposite — an American-style diner but with Italian food. Like a diner, it will be open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The menu is not full of options and it is also seasonal. Options include salads, soups, and, of course, pastas – fresh, housemade, what we expect from an Italian restaurant, right? Prices range from $12 to $17. Me and Raquel ordered the same plate: Bucatino Caccio e Pepe, a classic. It was delicious, we loved it! It also good to remember that the service was great.
And, of course, we have to talk about the place! Everything is pink: chairs, walls, glasses, napkins. Event the bathroom! Pietro is a tiny restaurant, so, it is cozy and like exclusive. We loved our experience. Notice that the place don’t accept reservations, so keep in mind that you can maybe expect some queues sometimes. And they just take cash or American Express.
Address: 174 Elizabeth St.
Laura Peruchi is a Brazilian blogger, author, and entrepreneur. She has lived in Manhattan with her husband since 2014. Since then, she has shared on her blog varied content about the Big Apple. From travel tips, including unusual things to do, shopping tips, etiquette, restaurants, and a lot more, her blog has become a reference in Portuguese (also available in English) for anyone planning a trip to New York City.
