San Matteo’s original Upper East Side location at the corner of East 90th Street and Second Avenue is making a big move to a new space currently under construction less than one block away, Upper East Site has confirmed.
Fabio Casella, owner of the popular Yorkville Italian restaurant, tells Upper East Site that San Matteo is set to move into a larger storefront being built at 1716 Second Avenue, at the corner of East 89th Street. Major renovations are currently underway on the space that has been vacant for years — since a deli at the location closed back in 2016 or 2017.
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Casella says he is in Italy right now, where he is originally from, shopping for furniture and tiles from the Amalfi coast, to bring a touch of authentic Italian beauty to the new establishment — which is expected to have 64 tables inside and once the summer arrives, outdoor seating wrapping around the corner of the building.
The San Matteo menu, filled with the Neapolitan-style wood-fired oven pizzas, pastas and fresh antipasto you’ve come to expect, will expand thanks to a full kitchen in the new larger space.
In addition to the original San Matteo Pizza Espresso Bar located at 1739 Second Avenue, at the corner of East 90th Street, which has been serving hungry Upper East Side residents since 2010, Casella also operates San Matteo Takeaway, which sits just a few doors down, as well as the San Matteo Pizzeria e Cucina, located at the corner of East 81st Street.
Heavily invested in the Upper East Side dining scene for years, Casella’s love for authentic Italian cuisine doesn’t stop with San Matteo.
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Back in January, the restauranteur also opened a new chicken and sangria concept, Polletto, in the storefront that was formerly home to PQR — a beloved specialty pizza shop named Pizza Quadratto Romano which closed last year.
A timeline for the San Matteo move has not yet been revealed, however, representatives for the restaurant will appear before Community Board 8’s Street Life Committee Tuesday night to seek a recommendation for a liquor license — typically part of a long and arduous process due to the licenses being linked to the physical address of a business.
We’ll keep you posted as we learn more.
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