Barano: Old World Italian Cuisine With a Modern Twist in South Williamsburg

Posted by Greenpointers Staff | March 7, 2019

Venturing out of Greenpoint for food can be a difficult decision with the numerous options nearby for thoughtfully prepared cuisine and the array of affordable eats in the neighborhood. The Italian food scene in South Williamsburg is a delightful excuse to cross through to the other side of McCarren Park. And if by chance you end up near the Williamsburg Bridge, Barano (26 Broadway) from chef Albert Di Meglio offers a wood-fired seasonal Italian menu featuring fresh pasta and hand-pulled mozzarella made in-house.

The dishes and the name of the restaurant (which opened in April 2016) are inspired by the village of Barano on the Italian island of Ischia, near Naples, where Di Meglio’s grandmother Giuseppina was born. “From a food perspective we try for old school classics with a modern flavor,” said Jonathan Soleimanzadeh, Barano founding partner and director of operations.

Spirit Animal, a wine shop by the Barno team is set to open next door on Broadway this spring as a complimentary space that will host tastings. In the meantime, Barano makes for the perfect date spot with it’s rustic charm and spacious-yet-cozy dining room accented by oak wood, stained tiles and vintage lighting. Greenpointers staff stopped in for dinner on recent weeknight and sampled the incredible cuisine; the pictures (and memories) are already making us crave more:

Antipasto; stracciatella, wood-fired olives, giardiniera, charred marinated peppers and house bread

Octopus with farro, mint pesto, celery, pickled radish and pine nuts

Stuffed artichoke with parsley, pecorino and bread crumbs

Pasta: Safron Gigli (right); Persian saffron, Calabrian honey, pecorino, black pepper and Duo ravioli (rear) fonduta, mushrooms, brown butter, sage and aged balsamic

Torta caprese; raw dark chocolate almond tart, Calabrian anglaise

Barano is open for dinner Monday to Thursday – 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday – 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday – 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.. Brunch hours are Saturday and Sunday – 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.