The newest venture from Chef Julian Medina and Louis Skibar, the partners behind Toloache (which has a location at 166 East 82nd Street) and El Fish Marisqueria (on the UWS), will be opening on the Upper East Side next month.
Amarena, the duo’s first Italian restaurant, will open on February 8 at 151 East 82nd Street (between Third and Lexington avenues). The previous occupant of the space was The Simone, which closed in May 2022.
Some menu highlights will include a variety of Suppli (fried rice balls, similar to Arancini); Baked Clams with salsa verde, lardo, and spiced breadcrumbs; Soppressata Picante Pizza with peaches and Calabrian chili honey; Carbonara Anatra with bucatini, duck guanciale, duck egg, and pecorino; and Porchetta Agrodolce with tomato, olive, and teardrop pepper agrodolce and lettuce cups. Here’s the full menu on Toast Tab.
Amarena will initially be opening for dinner only, but breakfast and lunch are expected to follow soon after. The breakfast menu will include a variety of pastries like Sfogliatella with pistachio cream filling, Bamboloni and Maritozzo. “Savory options include the Frittata with zucchini, gold bar squash, Grana Padano, and cherry tomatoes, served alongside roasted potatoes and a green salad’ and a variety of Paninos,” a press representative tells us.
The two-floor space spans 3,600 square feet and comes with 60 seats, including a 12-seat bar on the first level.
Opening hours will be Sunday-Thursday from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Friday-Saturday from 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. For updates, follow @amarenanyc on Instagram or visit amarenanyc.com.
Medina also just opened Soledad, the Upper East Side’s newest Mexican restaurant, earlier this month.
