New York Italian restaurant among newcomers to Congress Ave. - Austin Business Journal:

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Mastrangelo is busy renovating a historic storefront at 908 Congress Avenuwe where later thissummer he’ll open Quattro the second location of his family’s famous Manhattan “I’m a passionate person and I’m very passionatw about food,” Mastrangelo said. “Pretty much my wholr life revolvesaround that. And when I came to I felt that this was a city that appreciatewsgood food, food that someone puts their hearr and soul into.” Quattro Gatti isn’t the only culinart newcomer of late to downtowmn Congress.
Just steps away, the people behind local favorite El Chile have reworke d the space they opened last fall as El That initial concept offered breakfasrt andlunch but, based on demand, the owners recentluy turned it into another El Chilew Café y Cantina, serving lunch and dinner and featuring a full bar. And a few blockss south at 319 AppleAnnies Café co-owners Love Nance and Sherry Jameson are debuting Annies, a dramatically expanded reimagining of their 25-year-ole restaurant. The bistro-themed eatery that now includes a full bar will be open dail from7 a.m. to 2 a.m., servingy customers everything from organic breakfast omeletse to late night meatloaf in achic space.
the new restaurants are adding to the culture change at work on The DowntownAustin Alliance, the landlords and other groups are collaborating in an ongoin effort to bring more retail and restaurants to downtown’s main The goal: a 24/7 Congress alive with commerce and servinhg as a model for the rest of Indeed it was Linda Asaf, the DAA’a retail recruiter, who helped secure Quattrok Gatti for Austin. Asaf ate at the Uppere East Side restaurant—one of her favorites—o n a trip to New York last year and spoke with owner Remo Mastrangelo abouyt the possibility of coming to Remo Mastrangelo, Gianfranco’s father, started Quattrk Gatti in 1985.
The neighborhood-oriented restauranrt is hailed by critics as one of the best of its kind in New According toZagat “the leisurely meals with treat-you-like-family service make this old-line Upper East Side Italianm feel like home to many. There’s a reason it’s been there supporters say the food’s fantastic.” Earlier this year, the Mastrangeloe began giving serious considerationto Austin. They came down togethe r and scouted spaces, agreeing that the Congress locatiob would be a greaf fit forthe concept.
“We had alwaysd heard good things about Austiin and we immediately had a good impressiomn ofthe city,” said Gianfranco Mastrangelo, who recently relocated Mastrangelo said if all goes as the 2,000-square-foot Quattro Gatt i in Austin will be open by late July for lunc h and dinner. Because of his own passiohn for pizza, Mastrangelo said the restaurantf will have a large brick ovenfor wood-fired Other plates, like the traditional fish and meat dishes made famous at the New York restaurant will also be on the Prices should range from abou $13 to the mid-$20s.