Veteran restaurateur Joey Campanaro opened Little Owl 20 years ago in New York City’s West Village to nearly instant acclaim with his legendary pork chops and meatballs. He has since expanded his business to include three other restaurants and an event space.
The Philadelphia native with family roots in the Italian regions of Calabria and Molise got his start washing dishes on the Jersey Shore and went on to work for restaurateurs Jonathan Waxman and Jimmy Bradley as well as the Patina Restaurant Group. He now draws inspiration from cuisines across the Mediterranean as well as incorporating Mexican and Japanese influences at Little Owl as well as Market Table, The Clam, and The Mary Lane, all also in the West Village.
Campanaro recently discussed his journey, including a blunder that got him exiled from New York for a while, as well as his perspective on the current dining scene. That scene has changed, but Campanaro doesn’t see that as an obstacle; he simply adjusts to new technology and dining habits while maintaining his focus on genuine hospitality, including making sure that a human answers the phone.
Tune in to learn about his approach to maintaining connections with his guests, understanding their tastes, managing costs, and why his first restaurant is called Little Owl.
Menu Talk is a collaboration between Restaurant Business Senior Menu Editor Pat Cobe and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News. You can subscribe to it wherever you listen to podcasts.
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