Sauce Reopens Friday at 78 Rivington St. After January Fire
Back in January, a devastating fire swept through Sauce, the Italian spot at 78 Rivington St., forcing the eight-year-old Lower East Side restaurant to close. After months of repairs, Sauce is set to reopen. According to restaurant reps, they’ll be back in business on Friday.
Sauce has a refreshed interior, new food items and a new cocktail program with signature spritzes and negronis. A food consultant (Maura Ardu) and a beverage consultant (Noah Small) were brought in to help update the menus. The familiar “Italian grandma” decor has been upgraded with, “bold elements that pay homage to New York City’s hip hop scene with portraits of rap legends and an old-school playlist with hits from Biggie, Tupac, and The Beastie Boys.”
Well-known East Village chef/restaurateur Frank Prisinzano opened Sauce in 2011, but hasn’t been in the picture on Rivington Street for several years. In 2016, Adam Elzer bought out Prisinzano and his business partner, Rob DeFlorio. Elzer’s Everyday Hospitality also runs Sauce Pizzeria, which has three locations (one in an adjoining space on the corner of Rivington and Orchard streets.