Old-school downtown Italian spot Little Anthony’s to receive Volos-like facelift
After successfully transforming Mediterra into the upscale Greek spot Estiatorio Volos, Andreas Antoniou has turned to another of the Richmond Street eateries formerly run by his restaurateur father, Bob. Little Anthony’s Italian Ristorante will re-open in March as Little Anthony’s Italian and Bar, in an overhauled space and with a new menu. “It’s similar to moving from Mediterra to Volos,” Antoniou told The Dish. “We want to take traditional dishes and present them in a clean fashion with really nice flavor combinations.”
To fill the role of executive chef, he’s tapped Aaron Foster, who has completed stints at Deq at the Ritz-Carlton and Crush Wine Bar. Antoniou has also called upon Volos designer Marc Kyriacou (also behind the Spoke Club and Brant House) to completely change the look of the place. “We know there’s a lot more competition for Italian than there is for Greek,” Antoniou said. Because of this, he embarked on an ambitious renovation that will involve tearing down walls to open up the space, moving the corner entrance to minimize draughts and highlighting the stretch of 12-foot-high windows that run along the front of the restaurant. When finished, the space will accommodate 170—meaning Antoniou will need to drum up enthusiasm from nearby Bay Streeters to fill it up.
Little Anthony’s, 121 Richmond St., 416-368-2223, littleanthonysrestaurant.com
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