Since they opened their gelato parlor in Rittenhouse in the fall, the owners of Vita have quietly been planning an Italian restaurant on the other side of a Ferrari-red door that looks like a refrigerator.
At the end of May, Massimo and Ana Boni will open that door and start dinner service for their new concept at 261 S. 17th St.
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“We’ve put a ton of hours into perfecting this space and making it our own with a vision we’ve had since the day we decided to open a restaurant," the couple said in a statement. "We’re excited to finally let our guests see what’s behind the red door.”
Vita's reservation-only restaurant will be led by executive chef Juan Luis Urdaneta, a Venezuelan who previously ran taco shops and another Italian restaurant, Flora, in Colombia before moving to the United States. The menu will feature a selection of starters, homemade pasta and entrees.
The pasta dishes will incorporate classical carbonara, cacio e pepe, amatriciana, and interpretations on bottoni and balanzoni. Entrees include bistecca alla fiorentina, chicken al mattone and sea bass puttanesca.
Starters cost between $8 and $18, pasta dishes are $21 to $26, and entrees range from $32 to $42.
The space — formerly the Italian restaurant Branzino — features a dining room and bar, garden seating and a private dining room.
Hours for the new restaurant will be Thursdays from 5-10 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from 5-11 p.m., and Sundays from 5-9 p.m. Reservations can be booked on Resy starting May 24. The gelato shop will maintain its current hours Tuesday through Sunday.