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This summer, the spacious rooftop bar and restaurant on top of Eataly Flatiron will be heading to the countryside instead of the beach.
Birreria—the elevated space that’s transformed into an Italian Alps lodge during the winter and, for the last two summers, an Italian seaside resort—has been reimagined once again, this time as a countryside restaurant called Serra by Birreria (Serra means “greenhouse” in Italian). At least it can still wear a straw hat!
Photograph: Courtesy Eataly Flatiron
The new rooftop restaurant opens Thursday, April 12 at 5pm for dinner service and for regular hours beginning Friday, April 13. A vast majority of the menu is new and dishes and drinks have a strong vegetable and herbs focus. The décor hits the same notes with hanging plants, a vine-covered greenhouse surrounding one table and overflowing greenery throughout. It’s all very “Diane Lane in Under the Tuscan Sun.”
Staying on that theme, the restaurant will be hosting a rooftop mini farmer’s market on the first Sunday of every month (beginning in May) in partnership with GrowNYC, the group behind the Union Square Greenmarket. Another regular series of events planned are special “Drinkeasy” nights, late-night speakeasies only open to those who have called ahead for the password. The next one will be April 27, and if you’re looking to invite some peeps to your “secret garden,” you can find out more information here.
Photograph: Courtesy Eataly Flatiron
The new drinks by beverage director Alan Lam are exactly what you’d want to spend an afternoon sipping while lounging in a garden and watching a handsome Italian man do some sort of manual labor. Especially fun is the Dal Giardino, a spicy concoction served in a copper glass containing peperoncino-infused vodka, yellow bell pepper simple syrup, pineapple juice, lemon juice and topped with some fresh mint. (Pro tip: Take a bite of the mint before you sip. It's extra refreshing.) Sure to be popular on Instagram, is the Negroni Popsicle which features said popsicle stick-up in a glass of sparkling wine.
Photograph: Courtesy Eataly Flatiron
Meanwhile, menu additions from Tom Bohan, executive chef at Eataly NYC Flatiron, and Jackie Jeong, chef de cuisine at Serra by Birreria, are chock-full of small plates meant to be shared. A few standouts are the Cime di Rapa Selvatiche alla Griglia with foraged wild broccoli rabe from Meadows and More and Bombette Pugliesi, a common street-food from Puglia made with rich pork shoulder from Creekstone Farm and carrying a lingering hint of earthy, fried rosemary. Another must-try is the Pane Otto, a crackly bread served with whipped lardo and creamy butter.
Photograph: Courtesy Eataly Flatiron
And why not? It’s not like you need to worry about a beach body. On this rooftop, you’ll be staying in the countryside this summer.
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