Upscale cuisine in a casual setting where food and wine take center stage.
Now serving Saturday & Sunday Brunch.
Co-owners Jeff Bartels and Chef Alex McWilliams launched Chió, a new regional Italian restaurant in the Columbia Street Waterfront District of Brooklyn, New York, in August 2012. The hospitality veterans met while opening Paul Newman’s The Dressing Room in Westport, CT and have collaborated on several projects together in recent years. Chió offers guests upscale cuisine in a casual setting where food and wine take center stage.
The restaurant’s reclaimed wood paneling and wood topped tables set the tone for a relaxed ambiance. In the front room a large L-shaped bar is accented with white washed paneling and tables line the opposite wall. The main dining room is home to a large communal table with benches fashioned from a split log set against an exposed brick wall. In the warmer months a small outdoor courtyard provides additional seating.
Executive Chef Alex McWilliams is committed to using proven old world techniques with a twist on the classic flavor components. A traditional method from Perugia called “Grano Arso” or burnt grain is utilized to create pasta and pizza dough on the premises. In addition, authentic ingredients are sourced from various regions of Italy, such as grandininiai from Sardinia, bottarga from Sicily and speck from Alto Adige.
Stuzzichini range in price from $6 to $10 and feature saffron arancini di riso with dried green olive mayonnaise; jumbo sea scallop with stewed peas, prosciutto cotto and squid ink vinaigrette; and pork belly “porchetta” with citrus mostarda. Ensalatas are $9 to $12 and include white peaches and dandelion greens with rose water vinaigrette; puntrelle hearts with white anchovy, lemon and garlic; and castle franco with dried red peppers, radishes and capers. Flatbreads are $12 to $15 and feature potato and Tuscan kale with pancetta and ricotta; pissaladeira with caramelized onions, cured olives, pine nuts and white anchovies; and roasted long peppers with sharp provolone and tomatoes. Handmade pasta and grains are $14 to $18 and include strozzapreti with crispy sweetbreads, kale, cipollini onions and chanterelles; faro risotto with fava beans, butternut squash, alba and oyster mushrooms; and paccheri al forno stuffed with ricotta and prosciutto baked with béchamel. Desserts are $9 and feature lavender scented goat cheesecake; peach, rosemary and olive oil cake with mascarpone gelato; and white truffle Velronha chocolate soufflé cake with chocolate truffle trio.
On Saturday & Sunday a “Punch Brunch” is served and features a two-course menu and bottomless punch for $20. The first course offers a choice of Sardinian crab and celery salad; baby kale with roasted tomatoes and goat cheese; or bruschetta of ricotta and fig marmalade. The second course is served with charred bread and Tuscan potatoes or organic green salad and includes poached eggs over creamy polenta with oven dried tomatoes and pecorino pepato; Sardinian scramble with fragola, fontina and lemon oil with fennel sausage; or crespelle al forno with prosciutto and fontina with a light besciamella.
Chió’s beer and wine program is focused on biodynamic, sustainable and organic offerings that place a strong emphasis on the growing and harvesting process. These handcrafted products are sourced from boutique producers who are passionate about their craft and committed to small production. Beers are balanced by the hop to malt ratio and wines are balanced between primary, secondary and tertiary profiles. These virtuous and balanced options also offer value and each item was selected to compliment our menu.
The restaurant is open for dinner Monday through Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 to 11 p.m. Chió also serves brunch on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
