Manhattan has no shortage of Italian restaurants, many of which are highly acclaimed for their food and interior design, so standing out in this saturated market requires a distinctive approach from both angles. Having already cracked the code of authentic cuisine and decor with the Michelin-starred Rezdôra in the Flatiron District, chef Stefano Secchi’s latest endeavour, Massara Osteria Campana, aims to up the ante even further.
Massara Osteria Campana, New York
The new restaurant is located just down the block on the other side of Broadway, in a historic two-storey building – a rare find among its towering neighbours – and was designed by Brooklyn-based Sarah Carpenter & Studio to offer guests a variety of dining experiences under one roof. Spread over both floors, the 6,500 sq ft interior features two bars and four distinct and intimate dining areas, each with a unique look and feel that leans heavily into Italy’s warm, rustic aesthetics without feeling pastiche.
‘Chef Secchi gave us a clear and specific directive to make the space classic and above all, super Italian,’ said Carpenter. ‘Our studio really thought about what that means in a New York context and how we can evoke the sense of the Campania region without falling into the trap of trying to replicate the irreplicable.’
On the ground floor, diners are offered a full view of the food preparation process, from the roughly textured pizza oven to the 15ft marble counter upon which the plates are artfully finished. The open kitchen is surrounded by dark green tiles and sits below an atrium that brings natural light down from a skylight in the roof, highlighting the chefs at work.
Italian materials were installed wherever possible, including limestone for walls, travertine flagstone floors and Carrara marble bar tops. Some of the dining room walls are lined in layer upon layer of clay plaster by Edmundson Studio, allowing the original brick courses to subtly peek through and create a moody setting in the 14ft-high space. Chocolate-coloured leather cushions provide backrests for fumed oak banquettes, while vintage Murano pendant lights are suspended over the bar counter.
Upstairs, reached via an olive green stairwell or an elevator, the atmosphere is akin to dining in someone’s home. Brass and bronze lighting fixtures throughout were sourced directly from Italy, while vintage Italian paintings and books that line the walls were bought at auction. More plasterwork across the walls and ceilings contrasts with the green back-bar millwork and coving in the front portion of the building, which overlooks the street through large windows.
At the back, a ‘green room’ is panelled in the recurring olive hue and a clementine tree is placed below the light well, besides a wood-and marble-wrapped opening that allows diners to peer down to the pizza station, and for tantalising smells from the wood-fired kitchen to waft up. The layout ‘granted us a truly unique opportunity to carve space and connect floors via openings, textures and light’, said Carpenter, who has achieved a cosy and inviting atmosphere in the heart of the city, and a space that stands apart for its rustic yet contemporary design.
Massara Osteria Campana is located at 913 Broadway, New York, NY 10010, USA, massara.nyc
