Via Carota Catering
Tucked away on Grove Street's most coveted corner, Via Carota is what happens when two self-taught chefs fall in love — with each other, with Italy, and with the art of making tradition feel revolutionary. Since 2014, Rita Sodi and Jody Williams are two self-taught chefs with a passion for all things Italian and a love of detail. The New York Times called Williams and Sodi 'one of the great partnerships in the New York restaurant scene'.
The magic lives in their obsession with simplicity done perfectly. Whitewashed brick walls hold whispered conversations, reclaimed wood tables bear the gentle patina of countless shared meals, and vintage glassware catches light like captured memories. Their leafy terrace becomes a refuge from the city's pulse — the kind of space where time slows down, and every bite tells a story.
When chefs and life partners Rita Sodi and Jody Williams opened their Greenwich Village restaurant Via Carota in 2014, they had no idea what was to come. They didn't know folks would one day clamor to get in, The New Yorker would christen their spot "New York's Most Perfect Restaurant," or that their Insalata Verde would become legendary. Their 2019 James Beard Award for Best Chef in New York City only confirmed what insiders already knew — this isn't just dinner, it's alchemy.
The restaurant has become a magnet for discerning diners and cultural luminaries. Nearly nine years after opening, Via Carota remains one of New York's hottest tables, with Taylor Swift dressed to the nines for a recent dinner at New York City's swanky Italian restaurant Via Carota in the West Village. Since 2014, Via Carota has been a destination for food lovers, celebrities, and well-informed travelers because of its impeccable Italian fare.
The duo has created a beloved culinary enclave spanning Grove Street — Via Carota, I Sodi, Buvette, Bar Pisellino, and The Commerce Inn — each radiating the same heartfelt simplicity. Williams is the author of a book by the name Buvette: The Pleasure of Good Food, and their much-anticipated cookbook from "New York's Most Perfect Restaurant" (The New Yorker) became a Bon Appétit Best Book of the Year.
In 2023, they launched Via Carota Craft Cocktails, bringing their perfectly balanced Negronis, Old Fashioneds, and Espresso Martinis home in bottles. The 2024 sparkling range — featuring Negroni Sbagliato, Paloma, and French 75 — captures that same effortless sophistication that draws celebrities and food lovers alike.
At Maxwell, we understand that great gatherings need great partners. Our events often feature Via Carota's exceptional craft cocktails, bringing that same warmth and authenticity to our Grand Room dinners and Garden Room celebrations. Because the best parties aren't just about the space — they're about the stories shared, the connections made, and the memories crafted over exceptional food and drink.
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