Altro Paradiso’s Ignacio Mattos Loves Pizza From Botanica Bar, But Will Walk Miles for Soft Serve
To-Go Takes is Resy’s regular feature wherein we quiz the folks behind some of our favorite restaurants about all things related to takeout.
In this edition, we speak to Ignacio Mattos, the chef and owner of Altro Paradiso and Estela in New York City. These days, Mattos splits most of his time between his two New York City restaurants. This month, Altro Paradiso is offering a special Takeout Tuesday special, available only on Tuesdays: a Milanese Napolitana with prosciutto cotto, pomodoro, and caciocavallo. You can order it here. Below, he shares some of his favorite takeout tips, tricks, cocktails, and regular stops.
- For Golden Diner’s Sam Yoo, Chinatown Is Where It’s At
- GN Chan and Faye Chen of Double Chicken Please Like Boozy Drinks and All of the Noodle Soups
- Crown Shy’s James Kent on the Merits of The Cheesecake Factory and Owning a Pizza Stone
- 15 East @ Tocqueville’s Marco Moreira Goes For Negronis and Traditional Brazilian Food
- Kokomo’s Ria and Kev Graham on Black-Owned Bars and Takeout Tips
Restaurant: Altro Paradiso
Name + Title: Ignacio Mattos, Chef and Owner
Resy: What’s your favorite dish from the Altro Paradiso takeout menu?
Mattos: You can’t go wrong with a housemade sausage and a fennel salad.
What are your favorite takeout places and what are you ordering from them?
I mostly get takeout for lunch with my assistant, Josey. If we are working from Estela, our favorite is Thai Diner. We usually split some combination of their roti, papaya salad, and a phat thai or a phat see ew. If we’re at Altro, I like to pick up falafels and hummus at Ba’al Cafe & Falafel.
What cold-weather food are you looking forward to ordering now that temperatures have dropped?
Soup! It is one of my favorite things. Altro’s Zuppa always hits the spot in the cold-weather.
What sauce or condiment one should always have in hand for their takeout?
Anchovies, Calabrian chile, and homemade mayo.
What’s your favorite bar or restaurant doing cocktails to go?
Botanica Bar! Have a pizza, too; it will take you by surprise.
What single restaurant dish or food item would you walk miles for?
I’d walk to Williamsburg for Leo’s soft serve. They usually have it in the summer.
Where and what was your first meal back once restaurants reopened?
At Altro, in the street, with friends.
What do you miss the most about restaurants?
I miss the people. I’m looking forward to being able to safely bring back more of our team and fill the restaurants with friends and family.
Altro Paradiso is open for indoor and outdoor dining, as well as takeout and delivery. Order takeout, including their Takeout Tuesday special, here. Estela is open for limited indoor dining.
