Affordable, rustic food from Piemonte. That’s what Heights residents can expect this winter from Corto.
Located at 507 Palisade Avenue, Corto is a new neighborhood restaurant by partners Drew Buzzio (Salumeria Biellesse, Biricchino), Marc Magliozzi (Dozzino), and Peter Fontana. We met up with Buzzio and Magliozzi at the Heights’ Modcup coffee house to get a closer look at what we can expect from their forthcoming project.
The Food: The concept behind Corto stems from the question, where can you get a good bowl of pasta, says Buzzio. “We found that there was nothing out there and that’s how it all started. Our goal is to have things that people haven’t heard of. Cucina povera — it’s that poor kitchen mindset. It’s not going to be a ton of ingredients, it’s going to be peasant, rustic dishes,” says Buzzio.
The restaurant will make its own fresh pastas on site every day and the menu will also feature a variety of Italian meats and cheeses courtesy of Salumeria Biellesse, one of New York’s most famous and loved Italian delicatessens. All other ingredients will be sourced locally.
“Good food doesn’t have to be overly complex,” says Buzzio. “Some of the best recipes I’ve had throughout my travels have consisted of just really good ingredients. People today try to overthink things and they try to make things too sexy. It doesn’t need all that.”
“The food we’ll be cooking are the recipes our families cook at home,” adds Magliozzi. “The goal is to be eye opening, but not to the point where people have no idea what they’re looking at.”
“I grew up in the restaurant business, Marc’s family owns pizzerias in Italy, Dozzino’s is beyond successful — it’s in our blood. Our hope is that we carry on that tradition at Corto,” says Buzzio.
“Good food doesn’t have to be overly complex. Some of the best recipes I’ve had throughout my travels have consisted of just really good ingredients.”
The Location: Corto will be located just a few doorsteps away from Modcup’s Heights location. Finding the right spot took years, but Corto was destined to open in the Heights as one if its partners — Magliozzi — was born there.
“Downtown has reached an apex and Central [Avenue] is doing fine, so it’s time for other areas to grow,” says Buzzio. “You’re able to do more in an area like this because you have people that are willing to try different things. And that’s what we’re ultimately trying to do.”
Corto will also have access to a small backyard, which will be used as a garden for the restaurant and as an outdoor eating space when the weather is warmer.
Pricing: “We want to be very inviting price wise,” says Magliozzi. “We want to keep it so that you can come in every day and try something new.” The restaurant will also open with a BYOB policy, making it even more enticing for customers. It’s going to feel like you’re in your Italian grandmother’s house.
Corto will soft open later this winter.
[Photos: Jess Lambert]
