IL BUCO ALIMENTARI & VINERIA
It’s a fact: the food offerings at art fairs are often very bleak. We have all at some point dropped $20 on a soggy Caesar salad, a wan panini, or a mediocre glass of wine. It doesn’t feel good. A sadness creeps into the day. The art doesn’t look quite as nice as it did before lunch.
And so, it is with some optimism that I share that the Armory Show, which arrives next week in Manhattan, seems to be expanding its efforts to offer finer fare during its run, partnering with Hospitality House, a New York–based “food and beverage advisory firm” to bring in the “most exciting and beloved eateries for a bespoke culinary experience focused on variety, locally-sourced ingredients and creative cuisine,” in the words of a new release. (As it happens, that is also how I like my art: exciting, bespoke, locally-sourced, creative. Not sure if I’m joking.)
The eateries setting up shop on the West Side piers will be Juice Press, fast-rising vegan outfit By Chloe, downtown Italian powerhouse il Buco Alimentari & Vineria (visit its website to see David Zwirner, a partner in the enterprise, enjoying a glass of wine with restaurateur Donna Lennard), Latin American outfit Colonia Verde (based in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn), Chelsea’s always dependable Hotel Americano (delivering a full-service restaurant), Mile End Deli (a powerful presence at recent Armory Shows, slinging both delicious beers and hearty sandwiches), Grand Army (a cocktail bar), and Black Seed Bagels.
An impressive lineup by any measure. My own personal dream is to eat a number two from Bottino at an art fair, so here’s hoping someone can sign them up in the future.