The Culinary King of Sutton Place

23.11.2023 - 18:47 / forbes.com

Let’s face it: New York’s Sutton Place, located in the East 50’s near the East River, isn’t exactly known as a happening part of town. The restaurant options, for one, are few and far between, and the places that do exist are average at best.

Enter Pino Luongo, a renowned restaurateur and chef, who has transformed the area’s dining scene and can be credited with turning this sleepy stretch of Manhattan into a culinary destination in its own right. I like to call him “the culinary king of Sutton Place.”

Luongo has a long history of running successful Manhattan restaurants. He’s the talent behind the still storied hotspots Le Madri in Chelsea and Coco Pazzo on the Upper East Side. Both are decades-old institutions that are now closed; yet, their fame, along with Luongo’s, still remains.

On Sutton Place, Luongo has two eateries to his name: Morso, open since 2011 and serving upscale but approachable Italian regional cuisine. A half block away, there’s Coco Pazzeria, opened since 2021 and offering delicious pizzas, along with a variety of raw seafood and pastas.

Many of the neighborhood’s residents are regulars at both establishments and dine several times a week.

Mike Lynn Salthouse, for example, says, "As a more than weekly diner at Morso, I can confidently say that this charming Italian gem has stolen our hearts. In fact, we eat there so often that our children tell their friends we live in an “assisted living facility” as it is housed in our building. Our families have held every special occasion there for last 10 years, including a major birthday party for 80 people this past October. It's also worth noting Morso’s prices are reasonable for the quality of the dining experience. We feel privileged to feel part of the Morso family."

Kate McGrath is another fan. “Alongside Pino’s unique talent as the restaurateur extraordinaire who introduced Tuscan cuisine to America is his how he makes everyone who comes to his restaurants feel like family – and then builds that family into a community,” she says. “I specifically remember Saturday nights during the pandemic when two friends and I ate at outside at Morso every week (even in the cold of the winter) just to see and keep in touch with our neighbors. This tradition of family and community continues on to the present day at Morso and Coco Pazzeria.”

Now, it’s time to hear from Luongo himself about why he decided to establish a presence on Sutton Place, how he’s different from other Italian restaurants and what he hopes to do next.

Our interview follows.

Why did you choose to open restaurants in Sutton Place?

I have always been a pioneer and liked a challenge.

I would refer you to my restaurant Sapore di Mare: it was located in an unlikely Tudor house on