Gastronomy news “Italiani” - a new Italian restaurant for Bonn
Bonn · The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree: Sons of the well-known Bonn restaurateur Santo Grossi have opened their own restaurant. Sandro and Fabio Grossi serve Italian cuisine in style.
Santo Grossi is a well known and appreciated restaurateur in Bonn. The former head of Al Capone in the Südstadt and of Borsalino in the Altstadt has been running the Ristorante Da Dante in the Hotel Kanzler next to the Museum Koenig for 14 years now. Now his sons Sandro (24) and Fabio Grossi (31) have opened their own restaurant in the former Nanay Nachtcafé at the Bonn Opera - the “Italiani”, a combination of extravagant ristorante and pizzeria. "We want to be a little more stylish than the typical Italian place you might run into," explain the two brothers. "With a simple cuisine, but with an original and fresh interpretation." Sandro Grossi sums it up: "I love to be a host and to give my guests an unforgettable evening."
"After five months of core renovation and redesign, the former Nachtcafé is no longer recognizable.” In the front area facing the Rheingasse is the bar with black metro tiles, gold tones and three tables. The host, Sandro Rossi, is also an actor, painter and sculptor and is accordingly also responsible for the design of the bar. A narrow passageway leads into the "Art Room", with a living room look, displaying a Maria Callas portrait in acrylic colors and a cleverly arranged bookshelf: the books do not face the room with their back spines, but rather from the sides - and black graffiti extends over them.
The dining table in the “Art Room” seats eight guests. In the “Blue Salon” there is seating for 37 and in the “Pink Salon” seating for 20. There are velvety seat cushions in the fitting colors, and round, gold-framed mirrors and a pizza stone oven by the cult manufacturer Izzo from Naples, which serve to create contrasts. The young Grossi brothers are starting out with a small, fine menu, which will of course be expanded a little in the near future. For an antipasto course, the beetroot carpaccio with walnut-basil pesto, fresh rocket salad, baked goat cheese and walnuts (twelve euros) is recommended. Also to be found on the menu are: Lasagna Classica with beef (12.50 euros), Insalata Vegana with olives, beetroot, grapes, chia seeds and sunflower seeds (twelve euros) as well as nine pizzas to date, such as Pizza Mozzarella (eight euros), the Rustica with tomatoes, garlic, Parmigiano and rocket (10.50 euros) or Pizza Salsiccia e Mascarpone (14 euros).
The range of wines includes five open bottles (0.2l) with glasses starting at six euros, e.g. the Lunatico Primitivo from Farnese (Apulia) for six euros and eleven bottled wines from 22 euros, such as the Cuvée Aliotto Biologico (from Sangiovese, Cabernet and Merlot) from Tenute Lunelli (Tuscany) for 36 euros. As aperitifs, the rhubarb Aperol Spritz (7.90 euros) or a Basil Gin Tonic (9.90 euros) are available.
Info: Italiani, Rheingasse 14, 53113 Bonn city center, www.italiani-bonn.de (currently no phone number). Open Tues-Sun 5 - 11:30pm (kitchen times), closed on Mondays
Translation: ck
