The interior of Catezza Italian Kitchen and Bar. (Photo by Brian Donohue. Click to enlarge)
By BRIAN DONOHUE
An established restaurant operator and an established custom menswear designer, both practicing their craft with an Italian flare, are setting up shop in downtown Red Bank. Also, there’s going to be a new place to get sea moss gel and wellness shots. redbankgreen has the details on the town’s never-ending Retail Churn.
Chef Dimas Montalvo stands in the open kitchen at Catezza as the restaurant prepared to open last week. (Photo by Brian Donohue. Click to enlarge.)
Esperto Hospitality Group, which owns Centrada Cocina and Cocktails on West Front Street, has opened the Italian eatery Catezza Italian Kitchen and Bar at 19 Broad Street. The building was last home to Catch 19 seafood restaurant, which Esperto partners John and Anthony DiLeo also operated before deciding to switch things up.
The restaurant had a “soft opening” Thursday. The interior of the 150-year-old building retains a sweeping curved staircase to an upstairs dining area and new touches like a large table for parties with a full view of the open kitchen.
“The ambiance of Catezza is designed to evoke the warm, inviting atmosphere of a classic Italian kitchen, making it perfect for both casual dining and special occasion,” a press release states. The menu features entrees like halibut with asparagus puree, pork chop with warm potato salad, grilled tomatoes on the vine, and Calabrian pepper, along with steaks and pizzas. They’re piping in 60’s soul in the background, which promises to go great with the cocktails.
Before the building housed Catch 19, it was Gotham nightclub. Before that, it was home to Hamilton Jewelers.
In other churn news:
A made-to-measure menswear boutique called Ventuno is preparing to open at 21 East Front Street. Owner Jack Menashe, who owns Sartoria Studio in Manhattan’s SoHo district says he hopes to be open by the end of September. The Sartoria web site says “each Sartoria Studio made-to-measure jacket, shirt and accessory is meticulously hand-crafted by the Vanni tailors whose garments have been continuously made in Italy since first opening their doors in 1818.”
He promises a similar approach with the new store, where customers will be able to enjoy a cocktail in a lounge-like setting while tailors measure them for custom suits, jackets and more. If you want a better sense, check out his instagram video below where he explains his approach.
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The building at 21 East Front Street was sold for $7 million in 2022 and the ground floor retail space has seen some turnover. Since 2019, it has been approved for a sub shop and then an exotic car rental business, both of which never opened.
Lastly, in churn news:
- Griffy’s Organics, a juice and smoothie shop that operates a location in Long Branch, is preparing to open at 16 Wallace Street, between Rocky’s Barber Shop and Don Francisco’s Cigars. Manager Jake Morris was on site Wednesday as workers were putting up the sign and awaiting borough inspections. He said they hope to open within a few weeks. The Griffey’s Facebook page describes the place as “a raw juicery & smoothie bar specializing in raw elixirs, wellness shots, super smoothies, cleanses, sea moss gel, grab n go, & more.”
