OBSERVER: Casasalvo Lands in Soho, Serving Sicilian Drama With a Vatican Pedigree
- djcdesigneracct
- Jul 25
- 1 min read
At Casasalvo, chef Salvo Lo Castro tries his hand at downtown dining.
Original Publication Source: https://observer.com/2025/07/casasalvo-restaurant-opening-review-new-york/
It was only last year that chef Salvo Lo Castro, a Sicilian who spent nearly three decades cooking for some of the most powerful people in Italy, opened his first espresso bar, Casasalvo, in New York. With Rome-sourced roasts so deep they activate the internal corners of your mouth with a tobacco-y zing, the café took off. And by 2025, the chef—who will joyfully tell you himself how successful his foray into American hospitality has been—launched three more around Manhattan (one he plans on closing, and another is under renovations). On Sunday, July 20, Lo Castro debuted a new Casasalvo: his first-ever full restaurant as chef-owner.
The property is prime Soho real estate, right on the corner of Spring Street and Sullivan, and possesses all the tell-tale signs of an Italian venue in New York: a carmine red Campari umbrella, a green and white striped awning emblazoned with “Casasalvo New York City,” above tables dressed in white linen with modern armchairs and Aperol-branded pillows. The dark, rich interior features Italian walnut-paneled walls and deep green and auburn leather chairs. The large white marble tile, an onyx bar with a gold illuminated backsplash, a petite balcony beside open French doors and potted citrus and olive trees balance out the moody ambiance with softer touches.
