Barbetta Closes Doors After 120 Years

Barbetta, a staple of fine dining on West 47th St. for more than a century, shut its doors for the last time on Feb. 27.

The closure was foretold by the passing of owner Laura Maioglio last month, at the age of 93. She had run the restaurant since 1962, when she inherited it from her father Sebastian Maioglio. The elder Maioglio first opened the restaurant on West 39th Street in 1906 before moving it to its home on E. 46th St. by the 1920s.

The restaurant posted a note on its website announcing the closure well in advance, calling its reign in the Theater District a “remarkable journey.” It was signed by “The Barbetta Family.”

“It was Laura’s wish that guests continue to gather here in the spirit she cherished, and we invite you to join us during this final month to celebrate the food, wine, and memories that have defined Barbetta for generations,” the note read.

The Spirit was on the scene shortly after the restaurant—famously located in an array of brownstones—opened for one last evening, at around 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 27.

One couple, Norman and Ann, noted that they had been married at the restaurant in 1997.

They’d been back “once for an anniversary” since, Ann said. “We always thought it was going to be here.”

A man visiting from Connecticut, who preferred to remain anonymous, said that he had tried to snag a reservation. It was “booked solid,” he said. “That’s too bad. What an institution!” He gave one last wistful look at the restaurant’s facade and walked west.

Not long thereafter, a diner named Walt paused by the restaurant’s entrance to reflect on the historical imprint that Barbetta had accrued over the decades. “People built this place...it’s got spirit,” he said. He had chosen to eat there because of its wine collection, he added, explaining that he worked in the wine industry.

According to a New York Times obit on Laura Maioglio, she utilized a background in architecture to transform Barbetta from a “a modest Italian spot into an upscale establishment, starting with the addition of a cloistered garden patio with a fountain.”

“She acquired antiques, a palatial crystal chandelier and vintage Barolo and Barbaresco wines, going head-to-head with haute cuisine French rivals then commanding the attention of the city’s fine-dining palates,” the Times obit added.

Barbetta’s menu was centered around Piedmontese food, in a departure from other dominant strains of Italian cuisine in the city (Piedmont is a northwest province of Italy, which derives its name from its position at the foot of the Alps). White truffles were a centerpiece item, as was the stuffed pasta known as agnolotti.

A large portion of the restaurant’s stalwart customer base, unsurprisingly, consisted of a variety of Broadway patrons. As the Times put it, Barbetta attracted a motley crew that included “opera stars, Broadway actors, theatergoers, musicians, ballet dancers, Pulitzer Prize-winners, politicians, contemporary painters and Italophiles trouped in.”

Barbetta was otherwise known for the wine collection cited by diners such as Walt, which is well-summarized by the restaurant’s website itself. Of the “1,700 labels” on its wine list, some dated back to 1961; the list variously won “Wine Enthusiast’s first prize in February 2005, the Award of Ultimate Distinction,” as well as Wine Enthusiast’s second prize (the Best of Award of Excellence) every year since 1997.