New Roman Restaurant Brings 'Effortless' Italian Elegance To The UES

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — A new restaurant led by longtime Upper East Side residents has recently opened its doors, bringing what its founders describe as "effortless Roman elegance" to Lenox Hill.

Spiga, the new restaurant and cocktail bar on Lexington Ave. near East 62nd Street, has a menu focusing on authentic Roman cuisine made with fresh, high-quality ingredients, one of the owners told Patch.

The restaurant is taking over a space previously occupied by Il Gradino Ristorante, another Italian restaurant.

It's the second iteration of Spiga — the first location is across the park, on West 84th Street near Columbus Avenue.

While the West Side location is more "trattoria-style," the East Side location is a more elegant affair, Debra Fasulo, one of the owners, told Patch.

"Our goal was to bring what we refer to as an effortless Roman elegance to the Upper East Side," the longtime Upper East Sider said.

Early standouts of the Upper East Side location include crispy artichokes, supplì (crispy risotto balls), focaccia, classic Roman pastas like amatriciana and cacio e pepe, and a braised oxtail dish rarely found on New York menus, Fasulo told Patch. The new restaurant officially opened for business on Dec. 3.

"By combining Italian tradition and passion with culinary artistry, we're hoping to create an experience where the client is actually being transported to Rome when they come and dine with us," Fasulo said.

Fasulo started the restaurant with her husband and another married couple, Marco Proietti and Johanna Marchena Proietti, operating under the name Quattro Amici.

The four friends designed the menu and restaurant to be the type of place for all occasions — from weeknight dinners with family, to date nights on the weekends.

At the center of the kitchen is Executive Chef Lon Franco Pagliotti, whose resume includes work at Michelin-starred restaurants, time with Daniel Boulud at Daniel, and opening Evelina in Fort Greene, Fasulo said.

Fasulo has raised her family on the Upper East Side, but also spends time in Italy, where she and her husband have created a home, she said.

"We have a real appreciation for the Italian love of sharing meals with family and friends from our own personal experience, and we wanted to bring that to the Upper East Side, for friends and neighbors gathering just to enjoy life and over a delicious meal and a glass of wine," Fasulo said.

"That's how we live our life in Italy, and we wanted to be able to bring that here."

Spiga is located at 808 Lexington Ave.

Know of a business opening or closing in Manhattan? Email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.