Tenute Rubino > Wine of Apulia > Ballarò Wine bar, New York City

Ballarò, New York City

Ballarò gets its name from a district in Palermo where a colorful and lively food street market has been taking place for centuries. It is the third "eatery" owned and run by Giusto Priola, and along with Cacio and Vino and Cacio and Pepe provides great Italian cuisine in New York.

At Ballarò the influence of Mr Priola’s roots, who emigrated to the US fourteen years ago, are clearly evident. In this trendy wine bar you can drink excellent wine and taste great food even if you’re having a quick but tasty Sicilian bite to eat. Mr Priola takes great care in selecting his ingredients and pays attention to the tiniest of detail, and he loves to introduce his clientele to the pleasures of good food. Ballarò, in fact, is designed for those who do not have time to sit down in a restaurant for a full meal, but still want to taste great wine and delicious Italian food - even it is only a quick panini.

Focaccia, ciabatta and rosetta breads - all made by the kitchen staff - are stuffed with the best Italian cheeses and cold cuts and are named after the places that have left a mark in Giusto Priola’s life. The house speciality is the Mondello panini, stuffed with marinated anchovies, eggplant and Cacio Cavallo sheep cheese - the result of a careful search for these niche products that New Yorkers appreciate. Mr Priola’s clientele, in fact, have learned to enjoy and recognize authentic traditional Italian products. Priola is a "master of good taste" and knows how to enchant and delight his customers with good food and takes them on a journey of discovery of unique produce that comes from characteristic places.

Ballarò is special because a quick lunch will leave you as satisfied as if you’d had a gourmet dinner. The menu ranges from panini such as Mondello, BOLOGNA (mortadella, primosale cheese, artichokes), Calabrese (soppressata, dried tomatoes, Asiago cheese), Valdostano (dried beef, rocket, Parmesan) to salads and pasta. The Anelletti alla Siciliana is a recipe from the Palermo area and a tribute to Giusto Priola’s homeland.

The same care and professionalism goes into selecting wines that are typical of their own area of production. The wines are also served by the glass to achieve the right balance of food and wine; you will leave fully satisfied even after a a quick lunch. The wine list boasts a rich variety of white, red, rosé and sparkly wines, which is representative of the best Italian wine-making territories.

On May 1, Ballarò will host a special Aperitivo evening presenting wines from Tenute Rubino, a leading winery in the Southern Italian region of Puglia. Their Torre Testa (a Susumaniello), Punta Aquila (a Primitive), Giancola (a Malvasia Bianca) and Aleatico - a selection of the best full-bodied red and refreshing white wines from the Brindisi-based wine-maker will take you on a journey of discovery of these excellent wines from the Salento area of Puglia.