After a pandemic-induced shutdown threatened to end a 120-year run, one of Little Italy’s oldest surviving restaurants was revived by a familiar face.
Bruno Brancaleone, who worked at Casa D’Angelo for 35 years, stepped in to take over the historic establishment when it closed its doors.
Located at 146 Mulberry St., the restaurant has been in operation since 1902. Brancaleone worked closely with the original founding family from Italy before eventually acquiring the business himself. The transition kept the century-old institution from becoming a permanent casualty of the city’s pandemic-era closures.
Traditional Kitchen Operations
Under Brancaleone’s ownership, the kitchen maintains the restaurant’s longstanding approach to Italian cuisine.
Staff operate specialized pasta extruders and stretch pizza dough by hand daily to ensure all foundational elements are made fresh on the premises. To maintain the specific flavor profiles of the original menu, the kitchen imports its core ingredients directly from Italy.
In the dining room, meals often feature table-side preparations.
A signature pasta dish is tossed inside a hollowed, flaming wheel of Parmigiano–Reggiano cheese before being plated and finished with shaved truffles. The menu also retains classic staples, ending services with traditional portions of tiramisu.
An Unexpected Stewardship
For Brancaleone, taking the helm of the Mulberry Street fixture was an unforeseen turn in a long career in the neighborhood. He noted that despite his decades of service, he never expected to one day own the restaurant.
Today, the historic dining room remains active, drawing an international clientele who travel specifically to eat inside the 1902 establishment.