Aperitivo Pizza Bar

“Pizza and Wine in Midtown”
First the Greeks perfected the diner, then they taught us a thing or two about authentic Athenian fare, and now they’re reaching over to Italy to master the art of pizza. Why not? aperiTIVO, which opens today in Midtown, is the first pizza project from the owners of the Greek restaurant Avra (Nick Pashalis, Nick Tsoulos).

To help them make pizza taste a bit better than cheesy pita, they’ve wisely teamed up chef Claudio Cristofoli, executive chef of Cipriani in New York, and a native of Italy, who worked at Harry’s Bar in Venice.

His menu includes all manner of pies topped with the likes of fig compote, blue cheese and prosciutto, sautéed zucchini and roasted shrimp, broccoli rabe, sausage, tomato and mozzarella, and a classic margherita with buffalo mozzarella, tomato, and basil.

For dessert, he’s serving a nutella pizza which is exactly what it sounds like—fresh-baked pizza dough smothered in hazelnut chocolate spread. (Let me be the first to point out that Romans, at least the ones I came into contact with in Campo de Fiori in Piazza Navona, would not approve.)

The menu goes beyond pizza to include snacks like sweet potato ‘crostini’ with bacon, gorgonzola and mozzarella, braised meatballs ‘tivo style with tomato sauce, sauteed calamari with sausage, arugula and black olive vinaigrette, and stuffed zucchini with sausage, herbs, and grana padano sauce. Larger plates include chicken Milanese with arugula, tomato and red onion and Linguine Veneto with sautéed shrimp and calamari in aromatic tomato sauce.

The lofty space boasts towering arched ceilings, wood floors, white leather seats, a collection of wine towers (there are 250 bottles on the list), and a white onyx bar.
aperiTIVO is located at 780 3rd Ave, corner of 48th Street, 212-758-9402.

Feb 06, 2009 — A wood-burning oven fires up the upscale pizzas of this wine bar and restaurant, as well as a menu of other assorted Italian fare.

Feb 12, 2009 — A Fresh Italian Lunch Spot in Midtown East Not that pizza places are hard to come by in New York City, but the team behind Aperitivo Pizza Bar didn’t take any shortcuts with their new mod-Italian restaurant. Its upscale ambiance includes an upstairs dining room overlooking the main dining room, along with a more private seating area downstairs. The menu features classics such as a simple yet flavorful margarita pizza along with more creative pies, such as a prosciutto, fig and blue cheese combination along with a shrimp and zucchini pairing, as well as a selection of fresh salads. With Aperitivo so close to my midtown office, I’ve been fortunate to be able to test out a variety of menu items. The last time I stopped in, I went with their classic Sicilian-style pepperoni square pizza, which is cooked in a pan. I’m usually not a fan of Sicilian pies, but the extraordinarily fresh ingredients, from the dough to the sauce to the cheese, made this selection a standout. If you stop in, be sure to save room for the Nutella Pizza – pizza dough rolled thin with a layer of creamy Nutella on top. Now that’s a pizza that makes dessert a meal unto itself!

Feb 20, 2009 — Ahoy Adam! Hope all has been well with you these days. Big downer about Co., right? Well at least for those of us who have yet to try it anyway :) Aperitivo 780 Third Avenue, New York NY 10017 (b/n 48th and 49th street; map); 212-758-9402 Anyhoo, since I first read about Aperitivo (the new brick-oven spot in Midtown) on Eater about 2 weeks ago, I have been eagerly awaiting somebody (nudge nudge) to review it, so that I knew whether it was worth dropping slightly over $20 for a pie. My main reason being is that I work so close to it and Midtown East kind of struggles with good pizza joints (sans Naples 45). So after much googling and continually coming up empty, I said screw it and just went myself (along with the wonderful ladyfriend who I have not ordered to do anything since that day at Flatbread Company up in Maine). And, boy, am I glad we didn't wait any longer!

The Aperitivo upskirt. As per my usual tradition with new pizza establishments, we went classic (Margherita with buffalo mozzarella). As you can tell from the photo, this time I couldn't even control my stomach enough to take the picture before I started eating (I hope you don't mind). But after a few slices I knew duty called (as did she). I just had to get the word out to you.

The blend of sauce, cheese, and basil is perfectly messy, and each bite is new frontier. The buff mozz was super fresh and very gooey, causing those lovely long strands of cheese as you pull a slice away from its mother pie. What's funny is that my lady called me a savage because I couldn't resist eating all the aforementioned strands right off the pan, ha ha. My guess is that you have been referred to as a savage from time to time and are very proud of it too. Anyway, the cheese was definitely a big hit, but the real winner was the flaky crisp crust that not many spots can hit. So if you are a fan of the crisp crust, stop reading this email now and get over there. And check out the upskirt of that slice. Impressive, eh? Anyway, my attempt to keep this short was obviously a failure, but I give this place two thumbs up for sure. One note is that the service leaves something to be desired, but that can be expected for any brand-new restaurant anyway. Also, the setting is a little chi-chi, so prepare for that. But, honestly, who cares about all that stuff when the taste buds are satisfied, right? Right! Until next time my friend, Dustin