Nightly’s Officially Opens: Swanky New Bar & Restaurant at Former Quality Eats Space

Photo: Briana Balducci

Nightly’s has officially opened at the former home of Quality Eats at 1496 Second Avenue (corner of 78th Street). The new restaurant comes from In Tune Hospitality, which is led by Massimo Lusardi, who has quite the presence on this street. Beyond owning Uva, Uva Next Door and Key & Heels, he also grew up on the street, and his father opened Lusardi’s right next door in 1982.

“I grew up on the block, this is literally next door to my father’s first restaurant,” Lussardi said during a December 2023 community board meeting.

“A fresh take on the classic New York bistro, Nightly’s brings the quintessential neighborhood joint into the present,” states a press representative for the restaurant. “Featuring craft cocktails, an expansive wine list, and dishes that include a mix of nostalgic throwbacks and treasured staples, Nightly’s serves as an approachable but stylish clubhouse for New Yorkers, merging European elegance with New York City flair.”

Some menu items we’ve been told are noteworthy include cod roasted in a banana leaf with fennel marmalade and lemon butter sauce, a double smash burger, and a special two-tiered salad.