Hit Italian Restaurant, Canto, Gets New Location On Upper West Side

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — After more than two years downtown, the Italian eatery Canto is expanding its footprint uptown with a new location poised for the Upper West Side.

Founded in late 2021 on Perry Street in the West Village, Canto opened to popular acclaim thanks to its diverse brunch menu and tastefully designed Italian ambiance.

The trattoria-style spot is owned and operated by local restaurateur Djamel Omari and his business partner, Allen Chan, who devote themselves to showcasing their love for Italian cuisine.

Beyond this recent venture, Omari is a seasoned veteran in the New York and international restaurant scene, having worked in every role from line chef to restaurant group GM for nearly two decades.

The new Upper West Side sister location is slated to open at 2014 Broadway, nestled between W. 68th Street and W. 69th Street. The storefront was formerly home to the Indian restaurant Sapphire Cuisine of India, which closed in 2019.

For months, patrons eagerly awaited more timely construction updates, as the only signs of life in the space were the window signs displaying Canto’s logo and a hopeful “Coming Spring 2024” message.

Recently, however, Omari released a statement on social media, indicating that their team had been diligently working on remodeling the old space and preparing the interior for the upcoming opening.

The storefront has since been repainted white with a black awning, and a May 20 Instagram announcement confirmed the opening would be happening in June.

While details about the Upper West Side menu are currently scarce, their West Village location is devoted to typical Italian fare: bruschetta, arancini, fritto misto, polpette, pollo Milanese, Caesar salad and pasta Bolognese, alla vongole and carbonara.

Their popular drinks include a frozen espresso martini and a diverse selection of wines.

An official opening date has not been released, but Omari said the wait should be over soon.

"Our UWS renovation is coming along bit by bit," the restaurant team said on social media. "We can’t wait to see all of you fill up our new UWS branch with good times and mems."

Canto is open for dinner Monday–Wednesday, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Thursday and Friday, 12:30 to 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 12 a.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 12 a.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Read more or make a reservation online.