Sorbillo Pizzeria Is Opening Soon — and More Intel

Sorbillo pizza update

Gino Sorbillo from Naples is in town, which makes it a good time to visit his first New York place, Zia Esterina Sorbillo in Little Italy, a pizza fritta shop named after his aunt. His bigger full-service place opens at 334 Bowery. Here’s a Bowery Boogie first look at the place, where he reports that Sorbillo is opening next week (and it looks ready to open) though Sorbillo said he’s opening in September. The master pizzaiolo is also here to make pizza and mozzarella along with Giulio Adriani of the Atlanta shop Local Pizzaiolo; Chicago’s Jonathan Goldsmith of Spacca Napoli; Pizzeria Da Michele of Naples, and Roberto Caporuscio of Keste at the new pizza school and restaurant on Fulton Street. We’ll keep you posted.

Gary He

JJ Johnson on the move

Joseph “JJ” Johnson first of the (now-closed) Cecil and now Minton's in Harlem has set up a new restaurant group, Ingrained Hospitality Concepts, based on rice and grains. It’s a team effort with longtime friend and collaborator Will Sears, the director of ops for John Fraser who has has opened a number of restaurants in New York, LA, and the Midwest. For the past year, he says, he’s been studying with Glen Roberts of Anson Mills and plans to preview dishes in an August Chefs Club Counter. He’s also working on a cookbook, a national restaurant concept, and a show with Powerhouse Productions.

More on the diner’s decline

Adam Platt laments the loss of the city’s diners in this epic nostalgia piece in New York Magazine with fabulous photos. It starts with his go-to diner, Joe Jr.’s in the Village that closed in 2009. He hits up city food chronicler Arthur Schwartz about the decline of the diner, who says, “I still go to the old diners for nostalgia, but I’m not mourning terribly. I’ve seen too many places go.” It’s yet another piece that makes readers want to visit the dying breed, if only for a piece of spinach pie.

Nick Solares

Sign of the past

Economy Candy (108 Rivington) gets a new sign, says Bowery Boogie, an impossible-to-miss retro look to mark the store’s 80th birthday. Mitchell Cohen is the third generation owner of the shop that sells your favorite gummy/sour/Pop Rocks and more.

Staycation weekend prix-fixe at Cafe Boulud

All summer long starting this holiday weekend, Cafe Boulud will have a weekends-only prix fixe inspired by the French Riviera. It’ll include a pissaladière (a roasted onion tart with olives and anchovies) and tableside main course service for daurade or roasted lamb for two. Learn more about the $68 a person menu here.

In case you forget the corkscrew

We’ve got five insane ways to open a bottle of wine this holiday weekend: