Northern Italian Countryside Meets Arts District Modernism at Officine Brera

Fiona Chandra

There are an innumerable amount of Italian restaurants in our city but few focus on regional Italian cuisine. Downtown’s acclaimed The Factory Kitchen has opened a sister restaurant next door as an ode to the countryside of northern Italy, inspired by the region where both owner/operator Matteo Ferdinandi and Chef Angelo Auriana grew up.

The name and space draw inspiration from the Brera district of Milan, Italy. The 110-seat Arts District restaurant features brick walls, steel dining tables and reclaimed wood flooring along with Ann Sacks tiles. Behind a 35-foot glass, guests can watch the wood-burning grill, oven and rotisserie as Italian fare cooks and fills the space with aromatics. Housed in a warehouse, the restaurant is equipped with private dining spaces and not one but two outdoor patios.

The menu rotates daily and seasonally but will always be inspired by classic recipes of cucina povera (loosely translates to “poor kitchen,” but also refers to the frugal genius of poor Italian cooks), the countryside along the River Po’ Valley where both Chef Angelo Auriana and Matteo Ferdinandi spent their childhoods. In contrast to the lighter fare at The Factory Kitchen, meat is the focus at Officine Brera. Slow braised hunter style meats, tartare, dry and baked pasta, risotto, and rotisserie fowl are a few of the menu highlights. Just like The Factory Kitchen, you can expect handmade everything, from pasta to the pastries. Start with cured pork back fat and follow it with a pasta made with ancient grains.

The wine list and pairings are curated by sommelier Francine Diamond-Ferdinandi and will include a large selection of Italian wines. The restaurant also offers a craft beer list and handcrafted cocktails from bartender Luigi Capasso.

Officine Brera is open for dinner 5:30 p.m. – 11 p.m. on Monday-Friday; 5 p.m. – 11 p.m. on Saturday; and 4:30 p.m. – 11 p.m. on Sunday.