Wednesday, July 23, 2014

I Coppi returns to the East Village



I Coppi, the modestly priced Tuscan restaurant, closed after 14 years on East Ninth Street in September 2012.

Proprietor Lorella Innocenti then planned to open a similar-themed restaurant at 189 Avenue A with her sister Maristella, who owns Matilda on East 11th Street near Avenue C.

Unfortunately, the sisters couldn't make it work on Avenue A despite their best efforts.

However, the two remain undeterred, and have reopened I Coppi in the Matilda space at 647 E. 11th St. near Avenue C. The new space will be called I Coppi Di Matilda.

"It's my sister, myself and my husband Esteban," Maristella told us. "We've all been through the recession, Sandy and more, but we are back with [our] mama's food at very good prices."

The sisters were born and raised in Pistoia, Tuscany. They looked for ways to reproduce the recipes that their mother made for them while growing up. Lorella was able to do so at I Coppi. Maristella helped in the kitchen, where she met her future husband, Esteban Molina, a sous chef.

Maristella and Esteban opened Matilda in 2007.

Having achieved their individual successes, the sisters along with Esteban decided to bring together both of their businesses with I Coppi Di Matilda, which features an array of pastas priced at $15 and less.

"It has most of the original menu from I Coppi, but also includes some of the specialty dishes specific to Matilda," Maristella said.

And the plans for a restaurant on Avenue A?

"We couldn't get enough money together and finally had to give up," she said. "But the family is together and stronger than ever. Hopefully, even without any help from the city or the government — I got zero after Sandy, and we lost everything at Matilda's — we will do better now with mama's food."

7 comments:

Gojira said...

I wish them the best of luck. Loved I Coppi, they had the nicest cat in their backyard seating area, and I have missed them.

28YearEVresident said...

welcome back and much success to them. I Coppi was a go to place for me for many years. The garden dining area that was on 9th st is forever missed. I'm glad the Tuscan spin will be the focus of the "new" place. To be honest I was never crazy about Matilda and look forward to the new/old approach.

Anonymous said...

Glad to hear they are back! I would love to hear the story of what happened with the space they rented on Avenue A. They were working on it for months and months. What happened?

Anonymous said...

I wonder if with the church behind that building being torn down and that new condo going up maybe they wouldn't have been able to install the ventilation system required for a restaurant. It would have been difficult.

Anonymous said...

YEAH ! One of my favorite places. I do disagree with the 'modestly priced' comment but they had great food & well worth it.

Anonymous said...

I am very happy to see sisters working together once again. I coppi is where I met them for the first time 13 years ago. We fell in love with the food ( best Italian dishes ever) their food brought us together and our friendship was born!! Wishing them good luck and heartfelt wishes. I am sure it will be phenomenal

catt55 said...

In Boca di lupo