The upper east side Italian restaurant Caffe Buon Gusto has been transforming the familiar noontime dining experience by seating two diners in an apartment on the second-floor building. Set in a historic 1000 square foot space adjacent to the restaurant’s main dining room, the owner, Nando Ghorchian, now lives in an apartment on the fourth block with his family, while Nano Cafferano occupies the second floor. Although the restaurant is dogsgy, its ambiance remains authentic to New York City, offering a connection to the feel of an apartment.
Renowned for its exquisite pizzas and moon rolls, Caffe Buon Gusto opened in 1988 and has expanded significantly since. The restaurant’s pricier pasta dishes are intended to drawAttention to the unique blend of Italian and New York influences, reflecting its reputation for creative and versatile cooking. The kitchen, located adjacent to the apartment, is a focal point, accessible through the door of the fourth-floor apartment.
The owner, who has lived in the apartment for two years, is filled with flour and dough. “It’s amazing,” he says, but he also admits to confusion about the apartment’s location. When Rosell, a frequent customer, visits the restaurant on Valentine’s Day last year, he was in a “bare bedroom” arrangement, with the dining room seemingly empty. Rosell, who often visits the restaurant in its former apartment, describes his dining experience as “freaking delicious.” For instance, when座谈会 with three friends was uncovered, he indulged in gnoc chi with a twist of vodka sauce and burrata, which he finds striking.
Rozell mentions that on the second floor, the dining room was a lively spot with tables arranged in rows, offering a sense of cozy New York City living. “The atmosphere is more homey than usual,” he says. However, the kitchen is quieter, desiring the 4.3-star rating from OpenTable, where the establishment currently stands as the restaurant’s highest rating. On March 8, a review note highlighted the restaurant’s “strange and quiet” ambience, with diners commanded to stay seated in the hallway.
Another seated spot in the upstairs bedroom was occupied by Shari Logan, assistant press secretary for the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Logan noted that New York City has prohibited home-based restaurants as of 2023, citing rooming laws and tenant lists. “So, this is fascinating,” she said, though she raised questions about the owners’ connotations for the apartment.
Shari’s meal came with reservations, but she was still puzzled as new diners packed the small spaces. “This is fascinating,” she conceded, feeling a lack of understanding about the ASSIGNMENT of the living rooms. However, she couldn’t shake the idea that the Tiny-Cement Apartment represents the perfect New York City modus operandi, albeit at a more affordable and less expensive level.
The apartment’s owner, Gabrielle Gorman, lived her entire life in the same flat until 2019 while moving with a roommate. Initially, it was an extension of Emilio’s apartment, but neither lived there during the first year. She recalls vividly evening in a corner by the kitchen, clutching a menu, when they discovered the tiny apartment. “I was like, ‘OMG, that was my old bedroom!,’” she said, feeling shocked. She noted that the apartment was surprisingly quiet, with beer cases in the bathtub and a strange set of seats in the living room, but she didn’t comprehend the entire setup until she found out about Nando Ghorchian’s new premises.
Gorman, now 22, felt a sense of loss when she left her old apartment. “I was like, ‘OMG, that was my old bedroom!’” she said, and she chose the restaurant for its versatility, challenging her.$42.95 family spaghetti with lobster, shrimp, and scallops. However, she also feltheaderits priciness, as when she first moved into the apartment, the rent was around $3,000, while then remained $2,900. The location is noted for its proximity to the apartment, but the restaurant’s priciness is a challenge.
G horchian, located on East 74th Street, manages three Caffe Buon Gusto locations, two of which have closed. The newer buildings have been quieter, with limited noise, despite the higher prices. On that Saturday, eight people met at an empty fourth-floor apartment, and the restaurant was indeed spotless as they sipped their drinks.
The layout of Caffe Buon Gusto’s spaces—both on the upper floor and the second floor—seems designed with the occupying of unused rooms and strategic setbacks to disrupt social norms. The second-floor living room, where Rosell and other diners often gather, was consistently described as a chaotic pub by some reviews, while the fourth-floor dining room, even its loud noise, lingers a little after close.
In conclusion, Caffe Buon Gusto, by its well-planned structure and choice of locations, creates a unique and memorable dining experience, but it also serves as a reminder of the moral dilemmas surrounding the assignment of living spaces in New York City. The restaurant offers an escape, but it must pay aNVeggie in the effort to do so.
