Opened in 2004 in the Lower East Side, Piada has recently expanded its original location and has just opened its second restaurant and store in the glamorous Food Court at the Plaza Hotel – one of the most sought after spots in terms of food offer for both locals and tourists.
Piada’s specialty, as the name suggests, is the ‘piada’ or ‘piadina’, i.e. the most classic dish of Emilia Romagna, which consists in a flatbread sandwich, filled with a variety of charcuterie, cheese and other fresh ingredients typical of the region.
Why is Piada so successful? Because when owners Giovanni Attilio, Daniele Buraschi and Andrea Tagliazucchi decided to open Piada, they were able to combine the existence of a void in the market (nobody has ever tried to successfully import Piadina in the USA) and an emerging trend – street food. Therefore, while street food became more and more popular, these Emilia Romagna natives decided to be the first ones to offer a quick and easy, yet authentic Italian lunch. Authentic Italian street food? It was a first for New York – and of course it was an immediate success.
Any more secrets to share? Yes, as in all successful joints, the spotlight is on the food, and extremely high-quality ingredients. “When you have a few high quality ingredients, like well-aged prosciutto and fresh crispy arugula, you don’t need any gimmicks,” states Piada’s official release. “The key of our success is in our simplicity.”
Cristina Villa