Harlem Spot Named One Of America's Best New Restaurants

EAST HARLEM, NY — New York's high-end restaurants are bouncing back from the depths of the pandemic — and one uptown eatery got an extra boost this week, when it was named one of the best new restaurants in America.

Esquire magazine released this year's version of its annual list on Thursday, comprising 40 newly opened restaurants from across the United States. New York City restaurants take up a quarter of the list, including eight in Manhattan.

The lone uptown spot that made the list: Contento, a Peruvian-style restaurant that opened in June on East 111th Street between Park and Madison avenues, and is ranked 27th on the nationwide list.

Contento is an attempt to answer the question of "Who gets to enjoy a restaurant," Esquire writes. As Patch previously reported, its owners, Yannic Benjamin and George Gallego, both use wheelchairs and designed Contento to be accessible through elevated tables and spaced-out furniture.

Then there's the food: Esquire raves about chef Oscar Lorenzzi’s ceviches and chickpea fritters, as well as the "boundary-smashing wine list" curated by Benjamin.

A sommelier by trade, Benjamin previousl worked at top restaurants like Jean-Georges and Le Cirque. He has been paralyzed below the waist since a 2013 car accident.

His partners in the venture include Gallego, an East Harlem resident who mentored Benjamin after his accident, Eater reported. When Gallego and fellow partner Lorenz Skeeter found the Contento space in 2019, they invited Benjamin to join, having already collaborated on Gallego's Axis Project that provides fitness services to people with disabilities.

Contento's other accessible features include adaptive utensils and plans to host programming focused on social sustainability and job training for people with disabilities.

Lorenzzi, the chef, hails from Peru and has worked at prominent eateries like Nice Matin and the Waverly Inn. Mara Rudzinski, the sommelier and a fellow managing partner, has more than a decade of industry experience at spots like Lafeyette and Terroir Wine Bar.

Besides food and wine, it also features cocktails reflecting "New York history and Latin and Caribbean flavors," according to a news release.