Starr Buys Babbo, Lupa

[MitchW]

And Mark Ladner will be the chef.  If it's true, this might be good news...

Quote

Now, there are big changes afoot at Babbo. Bastianich, who’s maintained ownership of the restaurant with his mother Lidia and sister Tanya since Batali divested his share in 2019, has agreed to sell Babbo and Lupa to Stephen Starr’s restaurant group, according to people familiar with the deal. The Babbo redux will also mark the return of chef Mark Ladner, who was part of the original kitchen team when the restaurant opened and went on to open Lupa and Del Posto.

Grub Street - https://www.grubstreet.com/article/stephen-starr-babbo-lupa-mark-ladner.html

[Diancecht]

oooh

worth considering a revisit then…during a forthcoming trip

[GerryOlds2TheReturnofGerry]

If Starr was truly a visionary he'd relaunch Pasta Flyer nationwide.

[Wilfrid]

Did Babbo stay busy? Haven't thought about it in years.

[SethG]

On 1/31/2025 at 4:58 PM, Wilfrid said:

Did Babbo stay busy? Haven't thought about it in years.

We go a couple times a year. There was a period after the revelations about Batali surfaced but before his divestment that we didn’t go, though.  After he sold his share I got a text from a friend, “is it ok to get the tripe again?” - so of course we did. The room was quite sparse, though admittedly we had a late post-movie reservation.

During the pandemic they had one of the better games going. And it seemed like people picked up on it, as it got busier each time we went. And post-pandemic it just stayed busy. Not impossible-rez busy like in their early days, but there’s been a reasonably full house every time we’ve been since. The crowd has gotten a little older… but then so have I. 

Edited February 28, 2025 by SethG

[MitchW]

Here's the current scoop from Pete Wells...a little love for Ladner, and he makes some great points.

NY Times  Nothing more true than this...

 He says that at his age, he needs a job that keeps him off the line.

[mongo]

surprised they didn't change the name. can it be a big restaurant again under that name without people thinking first, second and third about batali?

[Wilfrid]

Quite a story. I remember Po.

[GerryOlds2TheReturnofGerry]

3 hours ago, mongo said:

surprised they didn't change the name. can it be a big restaurant again under that name without people thinking first, second and third about batali?

Feels like hubris on Starr's part, but between the #MeToo backlash and the current cultural climate overall, it may not matter. I was kind of surprised by how Ladner essentially excuses him in the profile.

[Orik]

Babbo Miami will be Batali neutral, while in DC right now his name might be viewed as a positive...

[MitchW]

2 hours ago, GerryOlds2TheReturnofGerry said:

Feels like hubris on Starr's part, but between the #MeToo backlash and the current cultural climate overall, it may not matter. I was kind of surprised by how Ladner essentially excuses him in the profile.

If there is one thing I believe Starr has his fair share of, it’s hubris.

[Wilfrid]

Rosner's review in the holiday NYer was sharply negative. This afternoon I read Schneier in New York. Also negative and finding some same faults in same dishes.

Whatever the big picture I don't know why a Ladner kitchen would be sending out poor food.

[Orik]

A mystery indeed. 

[backyardchef]

I have theories.