From a New York dream to his own Little Italy in the Village
While some things have changed over the last decade at Two Tonys, one thing has remained the same: my love and passion for Italian food and wine. Having started my legal career in New York City, I fell in love with Little Italy which was within walking distance from my office at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. I have fond memories of walking the narrow streets lined with family restaurants. I remember being enticed with the aromas of freshly baked breads and simmering marinara. The store front proprietors and their family members would greet me on the sidewalk sharing passionate stories about their little towns in Italy. I believe it was then, and there, that I imagined myself one day opening an Italian restaurant that I could call my own.
It was one of the most exciting times of my life when construction started at Two Tonys back in 2005. I met a young man, Michel Keeton, fresh out of culinary school, who had trained under a Disney chef in Italian cuisine and I knew I had found my executive chef. My desire was and still is to have every guest experience those days I spent in Little Italy. Walk through my doors and you will be greeted by a warm, inviting space accentuated by photographs of the Italian countryside and a big-city jazz bar complete with an old school mahogany bar accented by photos of the Chairman of the Board – Frank Sinatra and other musical legends of that era. But most importantly, you will be taken in by the tantalizing aromas of an Italian kitchen.
Now more than a decade later I’ve learned a lot. I’ve read wine books like they’re law books. I’ve traveled to Italy and studied Italian food and I have incorporated that knowledge into my continued celebration of the Italian classics in food and wine. But something else happened along my culinary journey at Two Tonys. Over the years, Chef Keeton has shown an incredible skill at creating not only my Italian favorites but regional cuisines from around the world. His quest for discovering new intriguing foods and flavors has made me realize his talent needed to be showcased. It is now an integral part of our menu and our culinary adventure.
Join us at Two Tonys where you’ll experience the very heart and soul of Italian food and wine. And if you’re feeling adventurous, try our chef’s globally influenced flavors now featured in the “Chef’s Table” section of our latest menu.
Ciao! I hope to see you very soon to share some great food, wine and hospitality that is uniquely Two Tonys.
Tony Tague
Proprietor