More than one year after its announcement, Monaco Italian Kitchen, from chef-restaurateur Tony Monaco, has revealed its opening date. While the Irvine restaurant had its soft opening (i.e., the window of time in which restaurants get their sea legs) on Tuesday, April 15, its grand opening will take place on Friday, April 25.
Founder of such spaces as the Blind Pig and Blind Coyote Cantina, Monaco, an Italian-American, wanted to do an Italian spot honing in on pastas and Neapolitan pizzas. “I thought to myself, ‘Wait a minute, there’s a place next door,’ which I thought would be a cool opportunity,” he explained in a 2024 interview. Monaco Italian Kitchen will open next door to the Trough, his sandwich shop.
Hungry? Sign up for The Eat Index, our weekly food newsletter, and find out where to eat and get the latest restaurant happenings in Orange County. Subscribe here.Monaco Italian Kitchen will focus on scratch-made doughs, pastas, sandwiches and housemade sauces. Panuozzo Napoletano sandwiches, a Naples street food staple, will be on the menu. Guests can look forward to a mortadella panuozzo filled with pistachio pesto; bufala mozzarella; tomato and arugula; chicken and nduja with provolone, smoked mozzarella, red onion and frisee; and a classic caprese with mozzarella, tomato and basil.
Arancini at Monaco Italian Kitchen in Irvine. (Photo courtesy of Monaco Italian Kitchen)ALSO SEE: 31 years ago, she started as a Benjies hostess. Now she’s buying the Santa Ana restaurant.
Pasta will include cappelletti in brodo, cacio e pepe and a lamb bolognese, while a filet mignon, branzino, saffron risotto, braised lamb shank and more will round out the secondi selections. Starters will include a beef tartare, arancini, grilled prawns and a charcuterie board and a classic cesar salad.
Executive chef Karl Pfleider, who, along with his kitchen team, traveled to Italy in preparation, will helm operations in the kitchen. “Our team has worked together on Tony’s concepts for quite some time, but each new concept allows us to flex our culinary creativity — something we love to do,” he said in a written release. “The trip to Italy to train and prepare for crafting Monaco’s menu was so inspiring. We took what we learned from that experience and infused it into every aspect of the menu — something we truly can’t wait to share with the Irvine community.”
Monaco Italian Kitchen in Irvine focuses on Neapolitan pizzas and pastas. (Photo courtesy of Monaco Italian Kitchen) Salads at Monaco Italian Kitchen in Irvine. (Photo courtesy of Monaco Italian Kitchen) Cocktails at Monaco Italian Kitchen in Irvine. (Photo courtesy of Monaco Italian Kitchen) The outdoor patio at Monaco Italian Kitchen in Irvine. (Photo courtesy of Monaco Italian Kitchen) Bufala mozzarella at Monaco Italian Kitchen in Irvine. (Photo courtesy of Monaco Italian Kitchen) Show Caption1 of 5Monaco Italian Kitchen in Irvine focuses on Neapolitan pizzas and pastas. (Photo courtesy of Monaco Italian Kitchen) ExpandRelated Articles
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Monaco Italian Kitchen comes with 4,500-square-foot of indoor-outdoor space, an open-concept layout boasting a 130-seat space (50-55 indoor seats, 15 bar seats, and outdoor seating for 50-60 diners).
Open for lunch and dinner, Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. until10 p.m.
Find it: Irvine’s Eighteen Main at 2000 Main St., #300, Irvine
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