$150 Gift Certificate to Orso Restuarant on Restaurant Row

Orso is our small Italian restaurant on Restaurant Row in the Theater District, well-known for its relaxed and informal elegance, its friendly and attentive service, and a menu that draws inspiration from every corner of the Italian peninsula.

Whereas “orso” means “bear” in Italian, Orso was named after a dog–a gondolier’s dog named “Bear” that believed he was the boss of Venice. He spent his afternoons sleeping under a grape arbor near a jetty, then dined on leftover rigatoni and cannelloni from neighborhood restaurants.

When the property adjacent to his eponymous restaurant became available in 1982, inspiration struck Joe Allen and construction began. At the time, Joe’s daughter, Julie, was working as a cook in Venice and Rome in three-star restaurants and simple seaside trattorias; an invaluable education in true Italian cuisine. When Orso open on March 17th, 1983, Julie was executive chef.