A new Italian pizzeria and restaurant debuted Friday in the Fifth Avenue South space occupied briefly by Kitchen and for many years by Mangrove Cafe. The partners for the new dinner-only La Trattoria in Naples are Luca Di Falco, who also is managing partner of Bice and Caffe Milano on Fifth Avenue South; Massimiliano Tonni, former manager of Caffe Milano; and Domenico Foraggio, an award-winning, third-generation pizza chef from Naples, Italy.  

“It’s a very rustic Italian restaurant, where we concentrate more on the pizza,” Di Falco said. “Plus, we not only have pizza but we have homemade pasta, cheese, bread, fish and meat.” Still, the restaurant’s focus is on Neapolitan pizza created by master pizza maker Foraggio. He relocated here years ago with Rossopomodoro, an Italian pizzeria that opened its first American franchise in Naples where Caffé Milano is today. He also was the “secret weapon” for Molto’s pizza on Fifth.