The only thing we love around here more than monsters is FOOD! We are very excited to announce the opening of a new business in the Family—Café Mars: “An Unusual Italian Restaurant” in Gowanus, Brooklyn.
Newly launched this past spring, Cafe Mars is the brainchild of Paul D’Avino – husband of Leroy’s Place founder Serene Bacigalupi – and his co-chef Jorge Olarte. Their quippy and delectable dishes explore the totality of Italian cuisine–from every Italian region and beyond–and their menu is full of influences from “the port cities of North and South America to the Itameshi cuisine of Japan.”
This new Gowanus fixture–built in a one-time pasta factory and Italian grocer (across the street from Paul’s bisnonno’s former home)–has gotten so much well deserved press, including this fantastic article in The New Yorker. Writer Helen Rosner uses phrases like “confidently creative” and “devilishly good” to describe the tastes of Cafe Mars.
Our favorite thing about our new neighbors on 3rd Ave – besides the creators behind it – is how every visit to the restaurant is a full experience for the senses. From the unexpected flavor pairings to the neon forward, Memphis Milano designscape, Cafe Mars brings a lot of refreshing whimsy to the dining experience. A business model after our own hearts.
Co-Chefs, Paul D’Avino & Jorge Olarte
When you visit, be sure to check out the large Leroy’s Place painting in the back room! At over 4’ long, this is one of the largest and most detailed commissions that Serene Bacigalupi has done to date.
