When Florence native chef Iacopo Falai moved to New York City in 2001, his background included training as a pastry chef at a three-Michelin-starred Florentine restaurant, working alongside renowned chef Michel Bras as a bread baker at his three-Michelin-starred restaurant in France, and developing chocolate-making techniques for Fauchon with chocolatier Michel Belin.

After working at New York’s Le Cirque 2000, Falai ventured beyond sweet into savory. He opened his own Lower East Side Italian restaurant, called Falai, in 2005.

In 2006, Falai opened Falai Panetteria and in 2008, he opened Caffe Falai in SoHo, offering homemade pastries and breads, as well as casual Italian cuisine.

This summer, chef Falai opened up his first specialty foods market, Bottega Falai, featuring home-made breads, pastas and pastries, imported Italian products like cheeses, pastas, olive oils and cured meats, and fresh produce and juices.

Iacopo Falai is also trying his hand at craft cocktails with an inventive selection offered at the bar at Caffe Falai. “I have 160 different liquors. I have nine aged whiskeys, nine aged brandies, six rums, twelve amaro, mezcal, and grappa.”

Olive Oil

Giachi - I really like it. I’ve been using it for almost a decade. I never cook with it, it’s too precious to cook with. Always use as a finishing olive oil.

Cheeses

Parmigiano Reggiano Vacche Rosse - I have a nice Parmigiano that is amazing. It’s the concentration of the quintessential Parmigiano. It’s made from cow with red spots on them. It’s really precious and very unique because they don’t produce enough milk to make a large amount of the Parmigiano.

Stracciatella - I get it twice a week from Campagna. It’s a creamy mozzarella and it’s insanely good.

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Cured Meats

Prosciutto de Parma and Prosciutto di San Daniele. I’m addicted in a very good way.

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Aperitivo

Negroni - I have a lot of memories with the negroni. When I go back to Italy, I always have that.

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Digestivi

Jägermeister - it’s very nice as a digestif. I like the herbals.

Amaro Nonino - it’s really flavorful and herbal.

Fernet Branca - it’s like a balsamic and it’s really strong in herbs, such as eucalyptus. Different flavors come out when it’s cold. It’s really interesting.

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Market

Di Palo's Fine Foods - I go there to shop for meats and cheeses, that I take home to eat.

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Italian Restaurants In New York

Peasant - I love the fresh ricotta at the beginning of the meal and the Orata Alla Griglia. I like food when it’s charred. He is the only one who ‘burns’ my spinach and my orata. Frank is not Italian, he’s an American person, but it’s all about Italian food and he has a nice balance, not using too much garlic. The place is all about cooking with fire using the wood-burning oven.

Sant Ambroeus - I go to eat some pasta.

Locande Verde - I like it. It’s a nice approach to Italian food.

Bar Pitti - I love it! I have the penne with sausage and broccoli rabe. I am in love with liver and he does the liver that I like, but I’m not brave enough to put it on my own menu, because my customers don’t like internal organs. I like the way he does it with butter, flour, sage and garlic.

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Japanese Restaurants In New York

Hasaki - I’ve been going there for 10 years and I’m not ashamed to say I’ve been eating the same thing for 10 years. I get ohitashi, a salad with their great dressing, a roll with spinach and dehydrated shrimp, four tuna sushi, yellowtail and shrimp. Also, one Seared Kobe Beef with garlic soy sauce, white rice and a tempura appetizer. Then, one scoop of Ciao Bella ice cream! Sometimes they have a cod they cook with a torch and it’s amazing.

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Restaurants in Florence, Italy

Enoteca Pinchiorri. It’s a three-star Michelin restaurant. It’s a place where I worked for six years, but it’s also a place where I like to go and try new things. The chef is amazing and one of my mentors.

Trattoria La Casalinga. It’s a very classic Italian place and it’s mamma-style. Get the Spaghetti al Pomodoro: tomato spaghetti with a little butter and a lot of Parmigiano. They serve roast beef with a nice juice and roasted potatoes. Also, Veal Scallopini with a little piece of lemon and they serve liver as well. The nice thing is you don’t pay $25, you pay $8.

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Cocktail Bars in New York

Pegu Club and Angel’s Share, they are my temples to learn. Angel Share even more, because I love the Japanese modesty. For me, to see them working is amazing. I would like to arrive at their level at my own bar.

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Recommendations

Details of Iacopo Falai’s recommendations for where to eat and drink in New York and Florence.

Cocktail Recipes

- The Communist