James Beard Award Winner Alfred Portale Opens Chelsea Restaurant

CHELSEA, NY — The three-time James Beard award winner Alfred Portale opened a new restaurant in Chelsea on Friday.

Portale, as it is known, "is a welcoming, spirited and beautiful neighborhood bar and restaurant, tapping into Alfred's Italian heritage in a more meaningful way than ever before," the restaurant said in an announcement on Thursday.

Portale is at 126 W. 18th St. between Sixth and Seventh avenues. The menu will feature seasonally-driven Italian eats.

"Shifting away from white tablecloth fine dining, Portale opts instead for relaxed excellence in a refined but casual setting," the announcement says.

The restaurant is Portale's first solo project.

Jacinto Guadarrama and Adam Longworth will be co-chefs de cuisine and David Schneider will be the director of operations. Steven Washuta is the wine director.

After three decades as executive chef and partner at Gotham Bar & Grill, Portale is known for earning three James Beard awards, five three-star New York Times review, and a Michelin star, the restaurant said in the announcement.

The restaurant itself takes over a two-story, 7,000-square-foot space for 100 diners and 14 bar guests on the first floor, and another 40 seats on the second floor.

Portale will open for dinner, 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday. Later, brunch and lunch service will be added.

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