Ainslie opened last night in Williamsburg, just off the Lorimer L train stop. The 10,000-square-foot restaurant will serve Italian staples and wood-fired pizza. Ainslie also has four bars with 20 wines by the glass, four wines on tap and 16 beers from local craft breweries on tap. Needless to say, we can’t wait to give Ainslie a try:
Ainslie is a 10,000 square foot, 340-person multi-level Italian wine bar, beer garden, restaurant and rooftop brought to you by Sergio and Mario Riva as well as AJ Bontempo of South Village Hospitality, the group behind Carroll Place, Osteria Cotta and Follia in Manhattan. The Ainslie building is the former home of a wire loom factory building, which has been preserved and modernized to accommodate the rolling out of pizza and pasta dough instead of copper and brass. 76 Ainslie is the last remaining remnant of the factory complex, which once occupied the entire block. The building was originally designed to allow soft northern sunlight to enter through the operable scissor skylights, which let the heat from the manufacturing process naturally ventilate through the window transoms. The factory was altered around 1910 to its existing configuration with 120 skylight windows. The restoration continued with the feel and texture of the old factory and took the operable window concept to another level with a 30-foot wide hangar door that opens and flows into a private walled garden. Remnants of the old factory have been lovingly preserved and re-purposed. The old tin ceiling is now wainscot material and salvaged heavy timber turned into furniture and bars.
Food: The kitchen will be helmed by NYC veteran chef John DeLucie (Waverly Inn, Empire Diner, Bedford & Co.) Erasmo ‘Mino’ Lassandro, who hails from Puglia, Italy, will man the wood fired oven as lead pizza maker. Ainslie’s menu will include:
Crispy Artichokes with Aioli con Alice ($11)
The Ainslie Burger with Gorgonzola Dulce served on a Brioche Bun ($16)
Wood-Fired Pizzas ($14 – $16)
Linguine Vongole ($15)
Housemade pasta including Spaghetti, Ravioli, and Pappardelle ($14-$16)
New York Strip Steak served with Watercress, Balsamic, Cipollini, and Truffle Oil ($28)
Cocktails: Jessica Duré, formerly with Broken Shaker, will head up the beverage program. The restaurant boasts four bars and Ainslie’s drink menu includes 20 wines by the glass, four wines on tap and 16 beers from local craft breweries on tap.
Capacity: The wine bar and main dining area will accommodate 210 guests, a 70-seat back beer bar is connected to an outdoor beer garden, a 60-seat intimate living room lounge is located on the mezzanine and there will also be a 1,000 square foot, 50-person roof deck and bar.
Ainslie
ainsliebk.com
76 Ainslie Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211
347-725-3400
Hours
Tuesday – Thursday 5pm – 2am
Friday 4pm – 3am
Saturday 3pm – 3am
Sunday 3pm – 2am
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SOURCE: Free Williamsburg – Read entire story here.