Remove those rose-colored glasses: A new restaurant in New York City has decorated itself entirely in pink. It’s as though Édith Piaf’s “La Vie En Rose” has come to life at Pietro Nolita in downtown Manhattan where Instagram shots of the soon-to-open establishment are more famous than the taste of the chef’s food. Yes, everything inside the restaurant, including the chairs, tables, walls, doors, windows, and exterior is painted in assorted shades of pink, Eater New York reports.
Named for co-owner Pietro Quaglia (who decorated the space with co-owner Mina Soliman), the cafe will serve a riff on rustic Italian and American diner food in a jarring but comfortable setting. "It’s a relaxing color," Soliman told Eater NY of the decor choice, "We didn’t want to go with a traditional rustic feel of an Italian restaurant." Quaglia notes pink’s relationship to red, a strong and powerful color. "It means love, it means happiness, it means so many things," he told Eater NY. "When you go to eat, that’s what you want."
Quaglia and Soliman met while working at Dolce and Gabbana “years ago,” which may explain their eccentric style choices. They’ve hired chef Oliviero Borgna to create menus for breakfast, lunch, and dinner somewhat in the style of a ‘50s era diner if it was salted heavily with Mediterranean influences — minus the overcooked omelets and too-tall club sandwiches. A coffee-flavored waffle with mascarpone and amaretto graces the breakfast menu; farro salad with squash, roasted steak, and peppers will be on offer for lunch and dinner. To a certain degree, the pink theme even extends into the food. Some dishes and cocktails will take on the hue, including pink spaghetti with tomato sauce and ricotta.
If you’re thinking this shade of pink might be better suited to South Beach than Lower Manhattan, you’re not far off: Miami has a similarly colored restaurant called Big Pink, which also aims for a retro American diner style, but unlike Pietro Nolita, does in fact serve traditional diner food.
Another color-based restaurant previously popped up in Monaco, drawing inspiration from Pantone, a color matching and identification system commonly used in graphic arts. The Pantone Café served food that had hues corresponding to certain color swatches. In the world of Pantone, Pietro Nolita is on to something. One of this year’s Pantone Colors of the Year is Rose Quartz, a soft, dreamy pink.
• Inside Pietro Nolita, the All-Pink Restaurant From Two Fashion World Veterans [ENY]
• Colorful Pantone-Inspired Pop-Up Café Sets Up Shop in Monaco [E]