Italian Eatery and Marketplace Entering the East Village

Scheduled to land in the Fahrenheit building in the East Village by March 2018, Monzu Fresh Pasta is a new family-owned Italian restaurant and marketplace with a focus on artisan handmade pasta. Rustic Meatballs, the eatery currently occupying the 1,000-square-foot space, will move out of the location at the end of 2017.

New owners Aldo de Dominicis Rotondi and Serena Romano, whose families are connected to the wine industry, have trained with master pasta makers in Italy in preparation for launching the restaurant. Supporters of the Slow Food movement, Rotondi and Romano will be offering a range of traditional fresh pasta, from ravioli and tonnarelli to tagliatelle and lasagna, paired with housemade sauces including Bolognese and basil and pine nut pesto; the menu will mainly center around the cuisine of the island of Sicily and the Southern Italian regions of Campania and Puglia.

In addition to a dine-in menu that will include daily specials and dairy-free, vegetarian and vegan options plus Italian wine and local craft beer, Monzu Fresh Pasta will also retail and wholesale its pasta variations. A marketplace section will offer grab-and-go food, as well as Italian gourmet items, from cured meats and cheeses to olive oil and sweets.