It’s hard to live up to ’ino, the beloved, teeny-tiny Bedford Street restaurant that closed in March of 2013 after 15 years. (And who can forget that truffle-egg toast?) But Cotenna, a cozy new Italian restaurant that opened last week in the same space, will certainly try. Owner Roberto Passon — of nearby West Village wine bar Aria — is serving an extensive menu, filled with bruschetta, salumi, grilled meats and seafood, and hearty, traditional pastas like tagliatelle Bolognese and spaghetti and meatballs. What’s nice about Cotenna is its confidence in the classics: You come here for reliable red sauce, a bottle of wine, and a server who actually learns and remembers your name. Take a look, straight ahead.
Pane e Porchetta.Photo: Melissa Hom
Grilled octopus.Photo: Melissa Hom
Dessert!.Photo: Melissa Hom
The space.Photo: Melissa Hom
Cotenna, 21 Bedford St., nr. Downing St.; 646-861-0175
