For more than a generation, the Melotti family has farmed rice in Verona and shared it with customers at their risotteria restaurants in Verona, Rome, and New York City.
When COVID-19 hit, the family closed their Manhattan location, Risotteria Melotti, for four months, but reopened with good news. They decided to renew their lease for another decade, showing New York resilience at its best.
Another 10 years!
“I love this project!” said Gianmaria Melotti, who despite being in the throes of rice harvest, took a moment to talk over the phone to share his excitement about continuing the Manhattan restaurant.
It’s been over a decade since Gianmaria, the middle sibling, came to New York City for the first time and left knowing that he would convince his brother and sister, Luca and Francesca, to open a risotto restaurant.
When he returned home to Isola della Scala, a small town outside of Verona, Italy, and told his siblings about the idea, they said, “You’re crazy.”
Six years later, in 2013, they found the perfect location, a former bakery with exposed brick walls, and opened Risotteria Melotti in the East Village.
Their satisfying gluten-free risotto recipes cooked with rice from the family farm and Amarone wines from the North of Italy have become a satisfying staple for Manhattanites. Their mother, Rosetta, is the genius behind many of the recipes.
And while the restaurant is not exactly farm-to-table, since it involves a boat crossing the Atlantic, it’s just about the next best thing.
Visit Risotteria Melotti here.