UPPER EAST SIDE —A pair of sibling restaurateurs are opening a wine bar and a separate farm-to-table eatery in the neighborhood this spring.
Tom and Anthony Martignetti plan to open the vino spot at 964 Lexington Ave., near East 70th Street, which will operate as a cafe serving coffee, pastries and sandwiches during the early hours, they said. The space was formerly home to the coffee shop Sicaffe.
The brothers are also working to open an "elevated home-cooking" style eatery at 1479 York Ave., near East 78th Street, serving fresh and simple meals from around the globe.
The Martignettis, who live on the Upper East Side, also own neighborhood restaurants Pizza Beach and East Pole.
The wine bar, which doesn't have a name yet, will serve domestic and international wines by the bottle and the glass, but Tom Martignetti said it is too early to say which labels they'll include.
He added that the new venture will be "chic" but affordable.
“We want it to become an all-day neighborhood hang out,” he said.
Community Board 8's street life committee voted against their request for a liquor license during a Tuesday meeting because Tom Martignetti wouldn't agree to close at midnight, instead of at 4 a.m., as he had requested.
His liquor license application still needs to be voted on by the full board, with the State Liquor Authority having the final say on approval.
The menu at the unnamed restaurant is still in development, but Tom Martignetti plans for the eatery to be a "sister restaurant" to East Pole on East 65th Street, which serves local, seasonal, organic produce and sustainably sourced meat, he said. It's set to open in the space formerly occupied by the restaurant and bar Flight.
Tom Martignetti admitted that running four restaurants is a lot to handle, but that he and Anthony "just have to charge ahead."
"My brother and I are very excited and think both will be good additions to the Upper East Side" he said.
