Carbone

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

The Original

Since opening in 2013, Carbone has become one of the most celebrated Italian-American restaurants in America. Situated on historic Thompson Street in Greenwich Village – in the former home of classic red-sauce institution Rocco – the restaurant was conceived by Chefs Mario Carbone and Rich Torrisi alongside Major Food Group co-founder Jeff Zalaznick. Their ambition was precise: an Italian-American restaurant for the modern era, glamorous and fun, held to the highest standards of cuisine and hospitality. The neon Carbone sign now glows above the original Rocco lettering, a quiet nod to the neighborhood's past.

Chef Mario Carbone

Growing up in Queens, Chef Mario Carbone absorbed two distinct strains of Italian cooking: the northern elegance of his maternal grandparents and the Sicilian abbondanza of his father's family. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, he spent a year in Italy deepening that connection – immersing himself in the flavors and techniques that would define his identity as a cook. His menu remains rooted in the Italian classics of his childhood, built on top-quality ingredients and a reverence for tradition rather than novelty.

The Room

The design draws deliberately from mid-century New York and classic Italian style. Burgundy leather banquettes, gold accents, polished wood, marble, and soft art deco lighting create what the restaurant describes as "old-world glamour with contemporary sophistication." Vintage Italian movie posters and framed photographs line the walls. Captains in tuxedos by Zac Posen work the floor, and artworks by Julian Schnabel punctuate the space. Many of the original captains from opening night are still there, overseeing what the team calls an "anything-can-happen" experience. The New York Times put it more vividly: "a fancy red-sauce joint as directed by Quentin Tarantino."

Recognition and the Wine List

Carbone's wine program earned a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence, a recognition that reflects the seriousness behind the Italian-American dining experience here. The restaurant offers wine pairings alongside its dinner and lunch service, and guests may also bring their own bottles for a corkage fee. Private rooms and event catering round out the offering for those looking beyond the main dining room.

The Major Food Group has since taken the Carbone name to Dallas, Miami, Las Vegas, London, Hong Kong, and beyond – but Thompson Street remains the original, and the standard everything else is measured against.