Last week, we talked to Aileen V. Reilly and her brother, chef Paul C. Reilly, the owners of Beast + Bottle, who have been getting ready to open Coperta, their new Italian eatery at East 20th Avenue and Logan Street. Even as late as last Friday, the two didn't have an exact date for the opening, but thought it might be early this week. As it turns out, that day is today, and the doors open at 5 p.m. Here are a few more details.
The Team
In addition to Paul Reilly, the kitchen will be headed by chef de cuisine Bob Blair and pastry chef Jodi Polson. In the front of the house, Eric Pfaff is the general manager, joined by wine director JP Taylor and beverage director Jon Feuersanger.
The Food and Drink
Coperta offers "a rustic menu celebrating the wine and food of Rome and southern Italy," according to the restaurant. In addition to a wide range of antipasti, primi, secondi and contorni, daily spuzzulia (lots of small bites) will be offered in two order sizes. Wines selected by Taylor will come from the regions of Abruzzo, Calabria, Basilicata, Campania, Puglia and Molise, among others, with three Sicilian wines on tap: Grillo, Rosato di Nero d’Avola, and Nero. Cocktails and spirits selected by Feuersanger will focus on Italian amari, aperitifs and vermouths, with a house Negroni, Aperol spritz and Fernet cocktail on draft, the latter two of which will be customizable with add-in spirits and mixers. Beast + Bottle's house beer, Barnyard Beast, a saison custom-made by Berthoud's City Star Brewing, will also flow at Coperta.
The Details
Coperta, designed by KD Fisko (who also designed the interior of Beast + Bottle), will be open Sunday through Thursday from 5 to 9:30 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 to 10:30 p.m. Lunch service and takeout coffee in the form of Kimbo espresso and Novo coffee, along with housemade pastries and panini, will soon be added.