(Photo: Daniel Maurer)
Last month Giulio Adriani converted the Bowery location of Forcella into a Spanish joint, Espoleta Tapas & Wine Bar — but rest assured the pizzaiolo hasn’t left pie-making behind him. Tonight, in the tiny space next to the restaurant that used to hold takeout joint Slice of Naples, he’s opening “New York City’s only pizza speakeasy.”
The petite pizzeria’s name is SRO, which refers not only to the size of the 24-seat room, but also, per a press release, to “the Bowery of yore, when low-income housing lined the infamous row; bands like The Ramones, Talking Heads and Blondie played at the now-defunct CBGBs; and neighborhood restaurants were discovered word-of-mouth.”
Adriani, who is neighbors (for now) with an actual Single Room Occupancy establishment, isn’t the first to use the monicker: the club at 199 Bowery was branded SRO for a hot moment.
In any case, you can find this SRO behind an “invisible door” inside Espoleta. A “No Vacancy” sign visible from the street will let you know if seating is available.
The operation is billing itself as a “test kitchen” where Adriani will serve a $38 three-course tasting menu consisting of a choice of appetizer, pizza, and dessert paired with three wine, beer, or non-alcoholic beverages. In addition to a couple of menu staples (the classic Margherita and the fried Montanara), there’ll be daily pizza specials like the Espoleta (chorizo, shishito peppers), the SRO (merguez, stracchino, caramelized onions); and the Uptown (lardo, burrata, truffle, leeks).
Here’s hoping this flophouse-themed project doesn’t flop.
SRO, 334 Bowery, nr. Bond St., 212-466-3301; hours Mon. to Wed. 5pm to 11pm, Thurs. to Sat. 5pm to midnight, Sunday 5pm to 10:30pm