Giusti Joins Chef Michele Casadei Massari for an Immersive Tasting at Lucciola

New Yorkers are used to bold food ideas, but the newest tasting dinner at Lucciola on the Upper West Side still feels surprising. It is small, quiet and intimate, yet it carries a story that stretches more than four centuries.

Italian chef Michele Casadei Massari is inviting diners to sit at an eight-seat table and taste balsamic vinegar from Modena in a way that feels personal. Every course centers on vinegars from Giusti, a family-owned balsamic vinegar producer that started in 1605. The result is not only dinner, but a sensory and cultural experience that asks guests to slow down, listen and taste with intention.

The setting itself signals that something special is happening. The table looks like it was lifted out of the acetaia attics of Modena where vinegar has aged for generations. Warm amber lighting surrounds each plate which are carved from retired barrels that once held balsamic vinegar. Even the ceramic spoons sit on carved wooden holders inspired by Japanese hashioki. Nothing feels random as everything points back to tradition.

Chef Michele built this space in close partnership with the world’s oldest balsamic vinegar producer. He wanted the room to carry the spirit of Modena without feeling staged. When diners sit down, they immediately notice that the table becomes the centerpiece. It holds bottles of balsamic vinegar that range from young and bright blends to a more than 100-year-old.

The tasting menu moves like a quiet lesson. Each of the six courses comes paired with a different Giusti vinegar. Although the chef selects each pairing, all the bottles stay on the table. Guests are encouraged to try their own combinations and learn what they enjoy. It is a rare chance to explore balsamic vinegar as if it were wine.

The final moment of the dinner is the most personal. Guests taste a Riserva Privata aged more than 40 years and pulled from Michele’s own barrels in Modena. The barrels are tapped only twice a year, which makes the pour feel both generous and private.

Giusti’s Owner and CEO Claudio Stefani Giusti says this new Manhattan corner fits a larger plan. The brand wants to move beyond the basic retail shelf. He explains that a bottle sitting alone cannot express the full identity of their vinegar.

Giusti says the goal is to create spaces that speak before the tasting even begins. “Choosing to house this space within a prestigious restaurant was a deliberate step. It places our heritage in a context of culinary excellence that mirrors our own values perfectly. Complementing our traditional retail presence, these immersive corners allow us to create an emotional connection before the tasting even begins. It is about adding depth to the experience, allowing the environment to narrate our identity coherently, just as our Boutiques do in Italy."

Giusti also sees this project as a model for future pop-ups. “"The strength of this concept lies in its ability to synthesize 420 years of history into a modular, recognizable space. If we can successfully transplant the soul of our Museum and the 'spirit' of our ancient casks into such a dynamic culinary setting in New York, we have a proven model,” he explains.

When talking about tradition, he offers a clear stance. He believes tradition is simply innovation that succeeded in the past. This shapes how the brand presents itself in the United States. It protects its history while also embracing modern food culture. Recent partnerships with chefs, artists, and even mixologists show that heritage and modernity can grow together.

Lucciola’s new tasting dinner proves that. It turns a familiar Upper West Side restaurant into a quiet bridge between New York and Modena. It invites neighbors to share a table, explore a craft and taste history in a fresh way. For reservations, visit here.