10 Things to Know About Cardellino, Trust’s New Mission Hills Restaurant

The fourth eatery from the Trust Restaurant Group (TRG) — its second spot in Mission Hills — arrives in full force today. An all-day cafe/bakery and restaurant, Cardellino (Italian for “goldfinch”), takes the place of Goldfinch Street fixture Brooklyn Girl.

Open daily at 7:30 a.m. until 9 p.m. on weekdays and 10 p.m. on weekends, Cardellino will serve brunch from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Here’s all the vital intel:

It’s unabashedly Italian-American. The 4,000-square-foot space, which includes a sidewalk patio and was created in collaboration with GTC Design and Second Sight, has a style described as “New Jersey meets Southern California”. The menu includes East Coast and West Coast-inspired shared plates, including many that call back to co-owner and excutive chef Brad Wise’s upbringing in the Garden State.

Yes, the pizzas come with ranch. All of Cardellino’s pizzas are served with parmesan, crushed red peppers, and housemade ranch dressing. It may be sacrilegious to Italians, but Wise knows that some Americans like to dip their pizza crusts in ranch sauce.

This is the perfect pizza wine. Co-owner Steve Schwob says nothing screams pizza more than a bubbly red wine like a dry Lambrusco.

You can take wine home, too. Cardellino’s entire 48-bottle list is available for retail from its bottle shop.

The cheese ravioli is a throwback to childhood. The pasta menu includes everything from cacio e pepe to spaghetti alla carbonara, but the cheese ravioli with ‘red gravy’ is a sentimental favorite for Wise, who loved the dish as a kid.

Rare Society makes a guest appearance. The Caesar salad served at the group’s Park Boulevard steakhouse proved to be so popular that it scored a place on Cardellino’s menu. Wise’s take includes tempura-fried anchovies.

There’s custom food art. Food was the muse for two murals created by local artist Grand Prestoz. One is decorated in geometric pattern and graphics mimicking pasta shapes while the other is inspired by labels from cans of Italian tomato paste.

And boozy Italian ices. Beverage director Frank McGrath’s drink menu includes Italian beers, cocktails on tap, and Italian ice slushies featuring housemade limoncello.

This isn’t the first bake shop in the space. Before Brooklyn Girl, it housed a bakery called La Frances; now, its a showcase for pastry chef Jeremy Harville. The cafe will offer salads and sandwiches in addition to a wide range of pastries and baked goods that includes doughnuts, chai conchas, lemon meringue cakes, and jalapeno and cheese bolillos. And its kitchen will supply all TRG restaurants with pasta and bread.

Ice cream is coming. Mr. Trustee, an ice cream and soft serve shop that will be accessed via a walk-up window, will open later next month. Its first flavors will include Captain Crunch, cookies and cream, strawberry cheesecake, and poached pear sorbet, and Harville will be making French toast cones for its frozen swirls.

Haley Hill