Two of Detroit’s top names in contemporary Italian dining have teamed up on a restaurant coming to Grosse Pointe this fall. They are Oak & Reel chef-owner Jared Gadbaw and Cory Barberio, executive chef and managing partner of the Shinola Hotel. The restaurant is called Angelo’s Fine Italian, and they hope to open it between late September and early October. Though both chefs are known for pushing the envelope, they’re leaning into tradition with this new concept.
“Italian American food in general is what I grew up with,” Barberio says. “And closer to my heart as I’ve gotten older. It’s kind of the food that brings people together and makes the experience a little more convivial.”
Italian American Staples, Fine Wines, and Cocktails
While the final menu is still in development, guests can expect Italian American classics “with a higher level of craftsmanship that Jared and I are known for,” says Barberio, who adds he’s hoping to introduce some regional favorites from upstate New York. A preview of the menu includes baked clams, mortadella skewers, eggplant parmesan, roast chicken, and pasta dishes. The kitchen will make pastas from scratch daily, and source locally as much as possible. Wine and cocktails will also be key parts of the restaurant’s offerings. While the menu will be primarily a la carte, the two say they hope to host special events and dinners.
“We want to make sure that we’re presenting a unique opportunity, whether that be through special dinners, wine dinners, or suppers, to drive people in,” says Gadbaw. “We want to make sure that we’re not just taking it easy. We’re out here to create something special, and we want to make sure that Angelo’s Fine Italian is the best product that the two of us can deliver on.”
The Interior
Angelo’s Fine Italian is moving into 16844 Kercheval in Grosse Pointe’s downtown area, also known as The Village. The space has been vacant for about three years, most recently home to City Kitchen. The new buildout will feature about 100 seats on the first floor, a 15-seat bar, and a private dining area downstairs with an additional 40 seats. Royal Oak-based VERSA is handling the interior design. The firm worked previously with Gadbaw on Oak & Reel and its downstairs bar The Upright. Its local restaurant portfolio also includes the striking dining areas inside The Rind, Noori Pocha, and The Dancing Pine.
A Tale of Two Chefs
Gadbaw is a Garden City native, while Barberio was born in upstate New York. Both worked in New York City around the same time, despite never crossing paths there. They later got acquainted through Detroit’s food scene. In New York, Gadbaw helmed the two-Michelin starred Marea for nine years. Barberio worked his way up under executive chef Andrew Carmellini at Locanda Verde, The Greenwich Hotel’s signature restaurant co-owned by Robert De Niro.
In 2018, the same year Gadbaw returned to his home state, Barberio relocated to Detroit as the opening chef della cucina for San Morello in the Shinola Hotel, overseen by Carmellini’s NoHo Hospitality. Gadbaw would open Oak & Reel two years later. Going forward, Gadbaw will continue to operate Oak & Reel, while Barberio is leaving the Shinola Hotel to focus on Angelo’s.
Behind the Name
The restaurant’s title is multi-faceted. On one hand, it’s named after Barberio’s first-born son. But it also pays homage to a handful of iconic Italian American restaurants bearing the name, like Angelo’s on Mulberry Street — an institution that operated in New York’s Little Italy neighborhood for 115 years. The “Fine Italian” addendum is “a nod to Jared’s and my attention to detail, and the time that we’ve spent honing our craft,” says Barberio.
For updates, visit angelosfineitalian.com and follow @angelosfineitalian on Instagram.
|
|
|
|
|
|
