After much anticipation and several delays, the beloved The Surrey hotel finally re-opened its doors on 20 East 76th Street, freshly refurbished under the shiny Corinthia Hotel brand. And, with its launch comes the opening of the city’s first Casa Tua restaurant.
An export from Miami, via Paris and Aspen, Casa Tua positions itself as being more than just a place to eat, instead striving to be viewed as an all-encompassing lifestyle brand. It’s a confusing concept but so far this has materialized as an Italian-inspired members club, with a side of art curation and philanthropy.
In the case of Casa Tua New York, this ethos comes to life as a restaurant and adjoining lounge, both of which are intended to be convivial, welcoming spaces open to (unusually for the Casa Tua brand) hotel guests and the general public alike. For those who like the brand’s original level of exclusivity, fear not: there’s a members-only lounge too. And, as The Surrey’s exclusive F&B partner, guests will also be able to try the signature cuisine seven days a week at breakfast as well as through the in-room dining program.
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Story
Way back in 2001, Italian-born businessman Miky Grendene and his wife Leticia opened what is widely heralded as Miami’s first member’s club. Housed in a secluded villa in South Beach, Casa Tua Miami acts as an all-encompassing venue for its members (and their guests), with hosting space, a club lounge and even hotel rooms.
On the back of their flagship’s success, the Grendenes sought to replicate and looked to the snowy slopes of Colorado for their next location. Casa Tua Aspen opened in 2010, offering members a restaurant, bar, lounge, library and an outdoor terrace.
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Boldly, in 2020, the duo leaped over the Atlantic for their first European opening. Casa Tua Paris sits on the ground floor of JK Place, serving up the brand’s signature Mediterranean and Italian-inspired dishes in elegant Parisian style surrounds.
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Menu
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Casa Tua loosely bills its cuisine as Italian- and Meditteranean-inspired, taking cues from Grendene’s upbringing in Padua – a northern Italian city some 30 miles from Venice.
This loose billing means the menus can be a bit more creatively free. Yes, there is the fritto misto for which Venice is so famous; there are big hearty pasta dishes, laden with slow-cooked meats; and there’s the likes of traditional Italian minestrone soup, but there’s also tzatziki, Australian steaks and very-much-not-Meditteranean hamachi crudo with ponzu and jalapeno. It’s a mixed bag that caters to modern diners accustomed to having it all.
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Interiors
The Grenedenes have once again sought the expertise of Michele Bonan, who lent his signature residential style to the Paris, Aspen and Miami Casa Tua locations. Moodily lit with atmospheric lighting and a sumptuously dark color palette, Bonan has filled the 100-cover restaurant with custom-made Italian furnishings that hark back to the nation’s famously elegant style.
In line with Casa Tua’s focus on artistic cultivation, the lounge and restaurant feature a rotating collection of artworks, all hand-selection by Miky and Leiticia, with artists including Richard Avedon, Herb Ritts, Lillian Bassman, Edward Weston and Irving Penn. Each piece will be for sale.
Casa Tua New York, 20 E 76th St, New York, NY 10021, casatualife.com
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