Michael White’s Pasta Empire Loses Morini on the UES

Ristorante Morini, one of chef Michael White’s six Italian restaurants in New York City, will close next week. An email from the upscale Upper East Side Morini says that the building owner has plans to redevelop the property, making Friday, August 16 the restaurant’s last day.

White — most well-known for his fancy Central Park South Italian restaurant Marea — opened Morini in 2013, and the restaurant garnered two stars from Times critic Pete Wells, who said it was “turning out the most carefully prepared and well-considered food that the Altamarea Group has given New York since Ai Fiori opened in 2010.” Most of his praise was for then-executive chef Gordon Finn, who at last word departed for Quality Italian in 2016.

Since then, much has been quiet on the Morini front, though Upper East Siders have kept the restaurant full enough. They’ll still have Vaucluse to flock to, White’s sceney Upper East Side spot, or if they’re really in need of a Morini fix, there’s still the more casual downtown location in Soho.

Altamarea Group, White’s restaurant group, will have four remaining restaurants in NYC, Marea, Ai Fiori, Vaucluse, Osteria Morini, as well as delivery-only Nicoletta and Pasta on Demand. There’s also a location of Osteria Morini forthcoming at Roosevelt Field Mall on Long Island. White’s empire also extends across the country and abroad.

Ristorante Morini closes on August 16.

• All Coverage of Ristorante Morini [ENY]