Serafina and Nello Face Off in Upper East Side Turf War

The Post writes today of an escalating turf war between Upper East Side restaurant rivals and celeb magnets Nello and Serafina. Just as Serafina, the moderately priced pizza and pasta spot on East 61st Street was about to close a $19.5 million deal on its five-story building, investors from exorbitantly priced Nello around the corner closed an 11th hour deal on it for $21 million. According to the Post, they plan on tearing down the building and building a high rise hotel with a more affordable version of Nello on the ground floor.

But don't count Serafina out just yet. They own eateries on either side of the current Serafina—Geisha and Manana—and just bought the building that holds Manana. They plan on moving Serafina into that building soon. And as for Nello's plans, as it turns out the building may be too narrow for a build out, according to city laws. They would have to work with the Serafina folks on either side to expand.

· Pasta War on Upper East Side [NYP]
· All Coverage of Nello [~ENY~]
[photo credit]