Two Robertas alumni have taken their popular pop-up tasting counter to the next level with the opening of this new East Village restaurant with 00 pizza flour and a wood-burning oven.

At a tiny tasting counter for just six diners, crammed into the Box Kite coffee shop on St Mark’s Place, chefs Justin Slojkowski and Dave Gulino garnered much acclaim for their 8 to 10-course nightly dinners. Now, the duo, who met working at Roberta’s and moved onto Nordic favourite Acme, are returning to the kitchen at Bruno.

In partnership with James Beard award-winning designer and owner Demian Repucci, the space is stylish with a stripped back look of white-washed brick and structural wooden stools - handmade by Repucci. There is an open kitchen with counter seating, where the chefs are involved in the service. The pizzas are pleasingly unusual, with ingredients such as spicy sausage and cauliflower sourced locally. They mill their own 00 pizza flour in the basement after crowd-funding a flour mill.  

Right now, in beta-launch, they are serving three pies, two pastas, and a salad, but the menu is expanding daily. Until the liquor license is confirmed it's BYOB. In future, expect a return of the tasting counter - the only seats which will be available for reservation - with Slojkowski and Gulino giving their Box Kite dinners an Italian makeover. 

Ideal For

A slice of the action

Signature Dishes

‘Nduja — tomato sauce, mozzarella, spicy pork sausage, and cauliflower.