Casa Mono

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Corner of the Costa Brava in Gramercy

Opened in 2004 on a quiet stretch of Irving Place just east of Union Square, Casa Mono has earned its place as one of New York City's most enduring Spanish restaurants. The New York Times awarded it three stars in 2015, and it has held a Michelin Star continuously since 2009 — a quiet testament to what the Michelin Guide itself described as "Andy Nusser's corner of Barcelona's delights." Wine Spectator added its own recognition with a Best of Award of Excellence, a nod to a wine list that now spans nearly 600 bottles drawn entirely from Spain's rapidly expanding wine regions.

The Cooking and the People Behind It

The restaurant's culinary identity is rooted in Spain's Costa Brava — specifically the fishing village of Cadaqués, where chef Andy Nusser grew up. That upbringing shaped a menu that takes Catalan and Spanish tradition seriously while pushing it toward the adventurous. Sweetbreads with fennel and Marcona almond vinaigrette, Razor Clams a la Plancha, Bone Marrow with trout roe and horseradish crema, and Creamy Eggs with sea urchin and ancient anchovy oil have all developed cult followings. A dedicated section of the menu features whole organic animals butchered in-house — Pork Belly with Fabada Asturiana, Confit Goat with avocado queso and Sicilian pistachios, Crispy Pig Ears with smoked maple vinaigrette — reflecting a commitment to using every part of the animal with care and intention. The current kitchen is led by Executive Chef Jonathan Melendez, alongside the restaurant's co-founder Joe Bastianich.

The Room

The space is intimate by design: 13 tables and 15 bar seats, a mosaic tile floor, interior walls lined with sherries and wines, and floor-to-ceiling windows that open onto Irving Place when the weather allows. Sitting at the bar, directly in front of the grill, puts you close enough to catch the smoke from dishes cooked à la plancha — one of the defining sensory signatures of the place.

Bar Jamón Next Door

Immediately adjacent, Bar Jamón operates as a bustling, communal tapas bar where Ibérico ham is sliced paper-thin on antique Berkel slicers. The full menu — bocadillos, conservas, cheeses, churros y chocolate — is written on a mirror behind the bar. The two spaces share the same wine list and the same philosophy: the feeling of a genuine night out, without pretension. As Tasting Table put it, there are a few reasons Casa Mono is beloved by its regulars — and one of them is exactly that.