The story
The Fasano story begins in 1902, when Vittorio Fasano — an Italian immigrant from Milan and the family patriarch in Brazil — opened his first outpost, "Brasserie Paulista," in the historical center of São Paulo. More than a hundred years later, that founding spirit of Milanese hospitality has crossed the Atlantic and taken root at 60 East 49th Street, just off Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan.
The man behind the New York chapter is Gero Fasano, fourth generation of the family's restaurateurs. As a teenager in the early 1980s, Gero set aside a fleeting ambition to study film in London and returned to São Paulo, where he immersed himself in the family's gastronomic heritage alongside his father. He opened his first namesake restaurant at nineteen, and over four decades built the Fasano Group into one of Brazil's most recognized names in hospitality — 30 restaurant operations and 10 hotels across Brazil, the United States, and Uruguay.
At Fasano New York, the kitchen is led by Chef Nicola Fedeli, whose menu is devised together with Gero Fasano and rooted in recipes the family has carried since 1902. The cooking is classic Northern Italian — specifically Milanese — with dishes that speak plainly for themselves: Ossobuco alla Menighina con Risotto alla Milanese, Tortelli di Vitello con Fonduta di Parmigiano Reggiano, and the tableside Bollito Cart. These are not reinterpretations; they are the real thing, prepared with the attention to detail that has defined the Fasano name across generations.
The wine program earned a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence in 2023, recognition that reflects the seriousness with which the list is curated to complement the Italian menu.
The restaurant operates across three settings, each with its own register. The main Dining Room offers a timeless environment for lunch and dinner — formal in the best sense, where traditional hospitality and authentic Milanese cuisine set the tone. Jackets are recommended, and the request feels natural rather than imposed.
The Fasano Bar brings a warmer, more relaxed mood: a softly lit lounge for aperitivo, cocktails, and full lunch service, with a lighter dinner menu available through the week. Between lunch and dinner service, Monday through Friday, a Stuzzichini menu keeps the bar quietly alive.
One floor above, Baretto raises the energy further with live Jazz and Bossa Nova performances every Friday and Saturday, an à la carte menu, and the same awarded beverage program that runs throughout the house.
Together, the three spaces make Fasano New York something more than a restaurant — a complete Italian address in the heart of Midtown, carrying more than a century of Milanese tradition into every service.
Recognition
Ambience
Location