Jovia Gives Up the Ghost at LastIt’s been a long, hard road for Jovia, which opened in 2005 to lukewarm notices. Chef Josh DeChellis left after just one year; last we heard, owners Stephen and Thalia Loffredo were selling the chandeliers. Meanwhile, Zoë, the Loffredos’ California-cuisine spot in Soho, has been flourishing. A restaurant insider who is also close to the couple tells us that they’ve finally decided to do the obvious and convert Jovia to a Zoë-like restaurant, perhaps even an uptown branch. “Nothing is final yet,” Stephen tells us, but “if the change occurs, it will be pretty quick.”
The In-box
Owner: You Can’t Buy Jovia, But What Would You Give Us for the Chandelier?
Recently we wrote about the possibility of UES favorite Jovia putting its handblown, Murano-glass light fixtures, including the distinctive chandelier, on the chopping block. Here’s a response from Stephen Loffredo, owner of Jovia and Zoë.