The holiday season is in full bloom and as you explore holiday windows and Christmas charm make your first or last stop, Masseria dei Vini. Centrally located at 887 Ninth Avenue (between 57 & 58 Street), the elegant establishment is a few blocks away from Radio City and the Christmas Spectacular, the windows of Bergdorf Goodman, the largest Menorah in the world on Central Park, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, the brilliant lights on Fifth Avenue; and steps away from The Shops and the Columbus Circle Christmas Market.

Either stop by for lunch or dinner before you begin your exploration and use the exercise to work out the meal, or finish there as the best reward for a successful walking tour. Whichever is the case it will be the perfect way to complete your New York City holiday adventure.

Masseria dei Vini offers an authentic, Italian dining experience.  The menu is filled with Puglian classics prepared with a twist by Chef-Partner Pino Coladonato. The restaurant delivers in ambiance, service, and most importantly outstanding cuisine.

Imagine a meal at Masseria Dei Vini as a culinary journey through the rich flavors of Italian gastronomy.  Start your voyage by ordering  for the table the Tavolaccio del Salumiere (Assortment of Italian cured meats and cheese). Then embrace the Mediterranean Sea by trying one of the freshly made crudos. Salmon is a personal favorite.

Salmon Crudo

For appetizers try the Polpette Di Manzo Della Masseria (Fresh daily homemade Meatballs with tomato sauce and basil), the Fritto Misto del Golfo (Golden fried calamari, shrimp & sea scallops with a side of marinara sauce) or the Carpaccio di Manzo (Thinly sliced raw beef, with arugula salad Hearts of palm & parmesan cheese). Any foodie in the group should select the Terra Marre (Grilled baby Octopus & Cuttlefish on a bed of fava beans puree’ & Tropea onions).

Agnolotti Piemontesi

Of course pasta is a must. Top choices include Penne All Masseria (Penne in a light creamy tomato sauce with bacon Radicchio & smoked mozzarella cheese), Gnocchi Di Patate al Tartufo Nero (Homemade Potatoes Gnocchi with Black Truffle sauce), Fusilli Alla Bolognese (Corkscrew shape Pasta with homemade meat sauce), or the Spaghetti Al Nero Con Vongole Veraci (Homemade Squid Ink Spaghetti with fresh baby clams, garlic and white wine sauce).

Petto D’Anatra Al Vin Santo

Now you have arrived at the main courses, dubbed Le Carne e i Pesci (meat and fish). A must option here is the Petto D’Anatra Al Vin Santo (Duck breast sauté in a Vin Santo sauce). It will prove to be the most succulent and flavorful duck breast you’ve ever had.
Or you can enjoy one of the exotic dishes on the menu with the Coniglio Alla Caprese (Oven roasted rabbit with fresh herbs & wine sauce).

Coniglio Alla Caprese

Carnivores in the group will be delighted with the Costata Di Maiale Al Tartufo Nero (Sliced Pork Chop with Black Truffle sauce), or the Costata Di Manzo Ai Ferri Con Patatine Fritte (Grilled aged prime ribeye steak served with Italian fries). Seafood lovers should not miss the Orata del Mediterraneo (Oven roasted whole Mediterranean Sea Bream with black olives, capers & cherry tomato sauce).

Pizza Tartufo Nero

For more casual, relaxed dining among friends, one of the specialties of the house is the Neapolitan-style Pizza, Le Pizze. All the ingredients are imported from Italy and are stamped with the Denominazione di Origine Protetta (DOP) mark in order to provide diners with authenticity. The dough is house made and left to breathe for 72 hours before baking.  This process makes the pizza dough lighter than usual and more digestible. Specialty pizzas include Tartufo Nero, mozzarella fior di latte, fontina cheese, robiola cheese and parmesan cheese, on a black truffle sauce base, among other unique fare.

The Ferrara wood-burning oven that has lava rocks from Mount Vesuvius utilized for making the pizza is also used for preparing several of the dishes on the main course menu, giving them a distinct traditional taste.

As the name implies Masseria Dei Vini (translated to The Farmhouse of Wines) has an extensive wine program, designed by Enzo Ruggiero whose passion for wine began as a child going to local vineyards with his grandfather where they would stomp grapes to make the family wine. The program contains more than 400 different labels, with approximately 90-percent of the catalogue coming from Italy, and the other 10-percent from around the world.

To complete your Italian gastronomical odyssey stop by Masseria Caffé next door for mouthwatering dessert. It deserves its own separate review which you can review later this week.

The Masseria restaurant group will soon celebrate two decades in existence as childhood friends and natives of Capri, Giuseppe (Peppe) Iuele and Vincenzo (Enzo) Ruggiero, joined Rutigliano native and Executive Chef Giuseppe (Pino) Coladonato to open the original La Masseria in the Theater District in September 2004. Since joining forces, they have opened two cafés operated by Chef Pino’s son Vito Coladonato and additional restaurants, La Masseria Rhode Island in 2009,and La Masseria Palm Beach Gardens in 2016. Masseria dei Vini, their latest venture first opened in Hell’s Kitchen and recently moved to its current location.

LA MASSERI DEI VINI
887 9th Ave, New York, NY, 10019
Phone (212) 315-2888
www.masseriadeivini.com

Hours of Operation
Tuesday trough Thursday: 12 PM to 11 PM
Friday & Saturday: 12 PM to 12 AM
Sunday & Monday: 12 PM to 10 PM