Serafina Restaurant Group was conceived while Vittorio Assaf and Fabio Granato were traumatically lost at sea in a small sailboat. Wearing only bathing suits, suffering from bitter cold, violent weather and severe hunger pains, the two stranded friends fantasized about creating the perfect pizza. Using Fabio’s architectural genius to construct a revolutionary oven and Vittorio’s artistry in Neapolitan cuisine, the Serafina idea and brilliant partnership was born. With an uncertain immediate future, they swore to open a restaurant serving the best pizza and pasta in the world if they were to survive the terrifying ordeal. In 1995, they fulfilled their promise by launching the highly acclaimed Serafina Fabulous Pizza. Following the success of their first location, they have gone on to open Serafina Fabulous Grill, Serafina Osteria, Serafina Broadway, Serafina at The Time Hotel, Serafina East Hampton, Serafina Philadelphia, Serafina White Plains, Serafina Upper West and Serafina Sao Paulo in Brazil.
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Fabulous Italian Cuisine is served to locals, celebrities, athletes and families in a fun, upbeat environment”
Expanding their culinary horizons, in 2003 the talented Italian duo teamed up with one of Vittorio’s best friends, Le Bernardin’s Eric Ripert, to create Geisha, an immensely popular Japanese fusion destination on the Upper East Side with a smaller spin-off on the Upper Westside called Geisha Table. In 2008, they opened Brasserie Cognac in the Theater District where Chef Florian Hugo, a great-great-great grandson of poet Victor Hugo, serves fine French cuisine. Vittorio and Fabio energetically guarantee comfort, excitement and fabulous food at every location!
