In Neapolitan dialect, a tiella [2] is a tiny cast-iron pan used for baking, grilling, or frying. We use the name for tiny pizza-like appetizers that we bake in a wood-fired oven.

These delicious morsels are topped with combinations like stracciatella cheese and truffle, and foie gras and prosciutto.” Mario Coppola explains the name of his three-year-old Upper East Side restaurant co-owned with fellow Neapolitan chef Giuseppe Castellano [3].

Tiella [4] has been described as a Neapolitan restaurant that doesn’t involve pizza (New York Magazine) and a modern urban trattoria (The New York Times). It’s a lovely place with amazing food, where every dish is prepared with the most selective ingredients and served with a unique twist.

“Our menu is based on Neapolitan cuisine but it also features classic Italian dishes. It all comes together thanks to the chef’s personal, innovative touch,” Mario adds.

The menu features Neapolitan classics such as moscardini alla Luciana (baby octopus braised in thick tomato sauce with black olives) and Italian favorites like spaghetti alla carbonara [5], served with stracciatella [6] and black truffles. Chef Castellano’s reinvention of this classic Roman dish is a reflection of his global training.

“We buy all that we can from Italy, including stracciatella, cured meats, as well as moscardini and gelato so that we can serve the most authentic Italian food around with our own personal touch.”