Front Street Tavern’s new owners are staying true to what the Kingston community loves about the eatery, while introducing an updated aesthetic and elevated open-air scene.
When two ambitious New York City restaurateurs come to town and buy a business built by an established and beloved Kingston family, they’d better have their ears to the ground and move slowly before making any sweeping changes.
That’s precisely what Antonio Giaccio and Ali Mardassi did a year ago when they purchased Front Street Tavern, known as much for its scenic rooftop bar—the only such space in Ulster County—as its original owners, local restaurant legend Frank Guido and his son Mark. The newcomers made it a point to get acquainted with the Kingston community to ensure a smooth transition as they reimagined the 6,000-square-foot establishment overlooking Kingston’s historic Stockade District.
“The city of Kingston is amazing,” says Giaccio, a native of Termoli, Italy. “It’s historic and walkable and diverse, and there’s a great vibe here. The most important thing to us was getting to know the people and really listening to them.”
Giaccio and his French-born partner Mardassi, another hospitality veteran, closed Front Street for just 24 hours after buying it last October. Upon reopening, they introduced themselves to patrons to learn about their preferences. They retained the staff, vendors, and business name. While the pair updated the tavern-style menu, they kept 30 percent of the dishes offered by the prior owners, including fan favorites like Bang Bang Shrimp, shepherd’s pie, and chicken and waffles.
It was during the stretch from last fall to spring of this year that Giaccio and Mardassi turned their attention to the upstairs deck. Their goal was to enhance it, drawing on Mediterranean influences. They brightened it with blonde-wood finishes and added new seating with toss pillows and a disco ball for a retro lounge overtone.
By the time spring rolled around, they were ready to introduce their rebranded Strega Rooftop. “We decided to do something that feels like the south of Italy, giving it more soul,” says Giaccio.
Cosmetic changes aside, the partially covered rooftop is the spot to dive into Strega, an Italian liqueur made up of 70 botanicals and spices. Head bartender Joey LaPenna (formerly of Mohonk Mountain House, Woodstock’s Cucina, and McGillicuddy’s in New Paltz) skillfully pairs the canary-yellow liqueur with aged spirits, bitters, and syrups to produce velvety cocktails that tickle the tongue and go down seductively.
The story behind Strega is a worthy sidenote. Giuseppe Alberti, a wine merchant from Benevento introduced the elixir in 1860. According to legend, witches from around the world had been drawn to the town to perform rituals under a magic walnut tree. Alberti, it’s been said, helped a wounded witch who had fallen out of a tree in the forest. As a reward, she gave him the secret recipe for what is known today as Strega (meaning “witch” in Italian).
LaPenna embraces the folktale and brews up some spellbinding drinks, including “Strega Passion,” blended with vodka, fresh mint, lime, passion fruit, and seltzer. Another, dubbed “Witches,” is a mix of Strega, bourbon, lemon, and ginger syrup.
Another new perk on the rooftop is live music every Wednesday night, featuring local performers. Giaccio says Kingston customers specifically asked for that, and he and Mardassi were eager to oblige.
They have additional plans to renovate the downstairs dining room this fall and gradually introduce some of the most popular dishes from their city establishments (Levante in Queens and Chez Moi in Brooklyn), such as fried artichoke hearts, pasta with San Marzano tomato sauce and shaved ricotta salata, and French onion soup au gratin. While change has been intentionally slow, Giaccio and Mardassi spruced up the front-of-the-house dining area by adding custom-made booths; they also expanded their hours and added Sunday brunch.
Front Street Tavern’s rooftop bar is named after Strega, an herbal liqueur that has been produced in Benevento, Italy since 1860.
When the rooftop closes for the winter, look for special themed events downstairs, including pizza- and pasta-making workshops and “Made in Calabria” five-course dinners and wine pairings.
Front Street Tavern is open Sunday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Happy Hour is Monday through Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. For more information, visit frontstreetkingston.com.
Related: Fulton & Forbes Is a Dreamy Wine and Spirits Shop in Ancram
