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New Kid on the Block: Tre Sorelle
As its name (“three sisters”) indicates, Tre Sorelle is a family affair: The sisters in question are (above, from left) Antonia Pati, Marie Liotto, and Fran Cotona. They all live in Tribeca, and some or perhaps all of them were involved in Mezza Luna, their cousins’ restaurant in Manalapan, N.J. Forgive the vagueness. I interviewed Fran’s husband, Vinnie Cotona, at 5 p.m. yesterday, and this week I mostly quit drinking coffee.
They converted a nondescript, bordering-on-scuzzy Chinese restaurant into something entirely new, with a 16-foot-high ceiling, a massive brick wall, handsome north-facing windows, and seating for 63 people. In the middle of the room is a brick wood-fired pizza oven, surrounded by counters and bar seating.
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They had two main goals. One was an Italian restaurant where the chefs are actually Italian: “In New York, chefs at Italian restaurants are from all over,” said Vinnie. “Our pizza man is from northern Italy, and our chef is from Naples.” Vinnie’s family is from Naples, while his wife and her sisters were born in Calabria.
The second goal was to make a neighborhood restaurant. “We want the people who made Tribeca to be able to eat here,” said Vinnie, who moved from Little Italy 25 years ago. “My mother-in-law was the chef at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Mott Street for 30 years.” The affordable menu skews toward the classics, with a wide range of sandwiches for the many folks who work on the other side of Broadway.
About the pizza…. I liked it! There’s a caveat. They made a pizza margherita for me to shoot, and then said I could take it home. (Well, they tried to get me to eat it, but if I had, I would have required a fourth meal later.) I talked to everyone some more, chatting with the sisters as they arrived one by one, and when I finally got home at 6 p.m., I ate a slice. To expect crispiness from lukewarm pizza would be a bit much, but more important in my book, the crust had the chewiness that I love (as well as the char). Further research will be required.
P.S. In Italian, Tre Sorelle would be pronounced tray sohr-ell-eh, but Vinnie said they were afraid no one would know what they were talking about it, so it’s been Franco-Americanized into tray sohr-ell. I’ve added it to the Tribeca pronunciation guide.
UPDATE: If you have comments about Tre Sorelle, please add them to the restaurant’s page in the Tribeca Citizen Restaurant Guide.
Tre Sorelle is at 61 Reade (between Church and Broadway), 212-619-1080. It’s open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. Delivery is available, although the restaurant is not on Seamless yet.
Recent New Kid on the Block articles:
• François Payard Bakery
• Laughing Man Marketplace
• JEM Café
• Lolë
• Jungsik
• Organic Modernism
• Sushein
14 Comments
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Thanks! I want to try that pizza now. I love your restaurant intros cause I’m like all about the food :)
Can’t wait to try the pizza, we needed a good replacement to Farinella in the area. Was wondering if they had their liquor license yet?
@Austin: There’s liquor all around the pizza oven, so I’m assuming they do, but I’ll call when it opens and find out.
@Austin: Yes, they do have a full liquor license.
I have to admire their goal to make it a neighborhood place. It looks homey, the food looks delicious and thoughtfully prepared, and the prices aren’t out of line. I worry that I make too much of this, and consequently make people uncomfortable, but there are still original residents of this neighborhood living here since the era when it was a rugged no-person’s land where rent was cheap and services non-existent. Your review makes this place seem welcoming in a way that many new dining spots around here, while certainly appealing to those with taste but limited means, does not.
Sorry, comment uneditable. Grammar sloppiness, unforgivable. “…limited means, do not.”
Can’t wait to try this. Studiavo a Roma!
Are these the same three sisters who had the clothing store on Reade, was it? Or was it Warren?
My wife & I went here Friday night after reading about it on this site.
– First I’ll start w/ the negative (and it’s not very negative): they were very caught off guard by how many people they had Friday night. The computer system was giving them trouble & they had a few opening week snafus w/ orders getting a little mixed up or taking a while. However, all the staff & owners were very very nice & apologetic when appropriate. I bet they’ll get that worked out.
– Now for the good: The pizza was outstanding & as mentioned above everyone who worked there was very nice. We ordered a couple pasta dishes for delivery last night & they were also very good too. As the oringal review mentioned, the space looks great too.
It’s definitely a place we’ll go back to & hope it does well.
@Judy: Are you thinking of Monica and Barbara Abbatemaggio, who had Sorelle Firenze on Reade?
Brava! It is so refreshing to have a trio of ol’ time TriBeCans open a business in the neighborhood!
Can’t wait to bring the family in and start making Tre Sorelle our new favorite hang out.
Judy: No, not the same sisters as the former Reade Street clothing boutique.
Great that they are all neighbors and committing to TriBeCa. Let’s make sure they succeed! Based on what I’ve read here, it’s a welcome addition to the neighborhood.
I ate here with a few friends the other day for lunch! Food was excellent especially the pizza. Cant wait to go back next week!
Loved the food. Took my kids to an early dinner after their Downtown Dance Factory classes. Everyone loved it. The kids asked if we could go back every week after class.
I do wish there was a kids menu. Not kids food per se, just smaller portions with smaller prices for smaller bellies.
I also loved that they have a gluten free pasta choice! I have a sister with Celiac (who is also a vegetarian) and it’s so hard to find options for her. I wonder if they’ll come up with a gluten free pizza too?