Grotta Azzurra (restaurant) facts for kids
Grotta Azzurra is a famous Italian restaurant located in the Little Italy neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It sits on the corner of Mulberry Street and Broome Street. The restaurant is named after the beautiful Blue Grotto on the Isle of Capri in Italy. It first opened its doors in 1908, started by the Davino family. After being closed for six years, it reopened in October 2003 in its original spot.
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A Restaurant with History
Grotta Azzurra has a long and interesting history, serving delicious Italian food for over a century. It quickly became a popular spot in New York City.
Who Visited Grotta Azzurra?
Many famous people have enjoyed meals at Grotta Azzurra over the years.
- The legendary singer Frank Sinatra was a frequent guest.
- His group of friends, known as the Rat Pack, also loved to visit.
- Another famous singer, Enrico Caruso, also dined there often.
- In more recent times, the young actor Heath Ledger was known to visit the restaurant. He lived nearby for a time.
A Special Dish: Lobster Fra Diavolo
Grotta Azzurra is known for being one of the first places to serve a unique dish called "Lobster Fra Diavolo." This name means "from the devil" in Italian, referring to its spicy flavor! It's an Italian-American dish, which means it was created in America by Italian immigrants, rather than being a traditional dish from Italy itself.
A famous chef named Marcella Hazan and her husband, Victor Hazan, remembered eating this dish at Grotta Azzurra around 1940. Marcella said that the dish was very rich and a good example of Italian cooking that became popular in America.
A Cookbook from the Family
In 1977, John Davino, a member of the family who founded the restaurant, shared some of its secrets. He published a cookbook called The Recipes of the Grotta Azzurra. This book allowed people to make some of the restaurant's beloved dishes at home.]
