Chefs Rita & Jody
Rita Sodi and Jody Williams are self-taught, James Beard Award-winning chefs. Between their five places, all within steps of each other, Chefs Rita and Jody have created a celebrated culinary enclave in New York’s historic West Village.
In 2008, Chef Rita established I Sodi, a classic Tuscan restaurant inspired by the farm where she grew up, just north of Florence. I Sodi has garnered much acclaim for its devotion to Italian tradition and time-honored recipes, in which the integrity of ingredients matters above all.
Chef Jody opened Buvette in 2011, imagining a warm and inviting place to enjoy good food and company any time of day. Buvette is beloved for its decadent brunch, intimate dinners, and old-world charm. Over the years, Jody has partnered with chefs across the world to bring Buvette to Paris, Tokyo, Seoul, and London.
Bar Pisellino is a classic, morning-till-late Italian bar celebrating l’arte del bere, the art of drinking. Inspired by the elegant coffee and cocktail bars of Florence, Milan, and Venice, Bar Pisellino opened just across Grove Street from Via Carota in 2019.
The Commerce Inn opened in late 2021 at the charming corner of Commerce and Barrow Streets. In a historic tavern space that has functioned as a restaurant for nearly 100 years, The Commerce Inn celebrates heritage American cooking and the magic of old New York.
Chefs Rita and Jody have also created two curated shops in the neighborhood, steps from the restaurants. Officina 1397 is a specialty supply shop of Italian kitchen provisions and local seasonal produce, directly across Grove Street from Via Carota. Officina del Bere, a fine wine, bottled cocktails and spirits shop next to Bar Pisellino on Seventh Avenue, operates in a landmarked space that has been serving New Yorkers for nearly a century.
Officina 1397
Officina del Bere