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The Underground Gourmet can’t blame Jody Williams for refusing to call Gottino a wine bar. After all, New York is practically awash in wine bars these days. So instead, the Morandi chef has christened her pet project, the elegant slip of a West Village space she opened with partner Michael Bull, a “gastroteca—my made-up word for an Italian gastropub,” she says. And when, precisely, is a wine bar not a wine bar, according to Williams? When great food, great wine, and thoughtful service add up to something much more than a cookie-cutter marketing plan.

At first glance, the casual observer might not be able to tell the difference. Gottino embodies rusticity, with all the Old World Wine Bar signifiers in place: the long marble bar and the standing ledge behind it, the Ferrari-red Berkel meat slicer, the piles of seasonal fruit (quince, pomegranates, blood oranges) that are a telltale Williams touch. Wine bottles, cookie jars, and anchovy tins line the walls; baskets of complimentary nuts are arranged along the bar for customers to crack open at will. But beyond the romantic “ ’teca” atmosphere is a terrific “gastro” restaurant, one that adapts the familiar small-plate wine-bar format to its own Slow Food–inspired, seasonally dictated, often idiosyncratic ends. If there’s a wine-bar playbook, and there must be by now, Gottino isn’t going by it. — Robin Raisfeld and Rob Patronite

Note

Gottino buys its gelati from Philadelphia’s acclaimed Capogiro; the fior di latte flavor comes with a sidecar of succulent candied chestnuts.

Ideal Meal

Bigné with Prosecco to start, followed by ciambottini, any crostini, blood-orange salad, canederli or cotechino-stuffed apples, and a bit of cheese. Or just make your way through a crock of chicken-liver pâté and call it a day.

Related Stories

New York Magazine Reviews

• Robin Raisfeld and Rob Patronite's Full Review (1/21/08)

Best of New York Awards

• Best Wine Bar (2008)

Featured In

• Cheap Eats 2008: The Cheap List (7/28/08)
• Restaurant Openings: Viñas, Le Lupanar, and Gottino (12/3/07)
• Our Picks for Diet-Be-Damned Dishes (12/24/07)