ONE OF THE STATE’S MOST PROLIFIC HOSPITALITY GROUPS ROLLS OUT THE RED-CARPET AT THIS NEWLY LAUNCHED ITALIAN CONCEPT, OFFERING AN OLD-HOLLYWOOD EXPERIENCE IN THE HEART OF RED BANK

BY JENNIFER KELLY • PHOTOS BY ALEX BARRETO.

When the Esperto Hospitality team acquired Catch 19 in 2020, they made plans to reinvent the space and turn it into something unique to Red Bank’s already booming culinary scene.

“We closed Catch on New Year’s Eve 2023 and rebranded the entire space within eight months,” noted Kyle Richardson, director of marketing and guest relations for the hospitality group, detailing the backstory behind Catezza, an old-Hollywood-themed kitchen and bar that specializes in regional Italian cuisine and offers a niche menu of gin and negroni. “The greatest change is the bar, which is now located up front,” Richardson continued. “But the Art Deco design is what really hits you as soon as you walk inside: chandeliers, incredible gold brass bar stools, a grand staircase. When you walk through the giant ten-foot double doors, it’s like you’re transported to a different city, an entirely different world.”

Upon entrance, guests are taken on a first-class journey back in time to the glamour-drenched golden days of early Hollywood. There’s a massive central mural, plus a parade of vintage black-and-white photos (think Dean Martin and James Dean). An open kitchen concept is framed by a chef ’s table that offers a front-row seat to the prime-time show.

“Conceptually, it’s very inviting and really runs on all senses,” Richardson said. “The sights, the smells, and the sounds are all very pleasing.”

Located in the heart of downtown Red Bank on Broad Street, mere steps from the Navesink River, the restaurant officially debuted on August 28. The name Catezza (a take on delicatezza, which means delicacy) defines the eatery’s fine Italian cuisine.

“The owners had a clear idea of what they wanted on the menu, and I fused those ideas with my own,” noted Chef Dimas Montalvo III, who hails from other fine dining establishments like Pascal & Sabine. “The menu is coastal, bright, and fresh, a mix of Mediterranean foods with a modern twist.”

When designing the menu, Chef Montalvo III took a lighter approach, forgoing heavier sauces and creams to let the ingredients take center stage. The branzino, for instance, is highlighted with a spicy tomato broth, while the juicy 16-oz. bone-in ribeye is served Tuscan style with EVOO.

You’re not going to find heavy red sauce or creamy dishes, and octopus is probably the shining star,” noted the chef. “Of course there’s cacio e pepe, but we do it with lemon, and the focus of our spicy rigatoni is a Calabrian chili. The fresh cavatelli is served with a wild boar ragu. Overall, it’s a very unique direction.”

According to Richardson, menu standouts include beef carpaccio crostini, crafted from thinly sliced NY strip and dressed with Calabrian aioli, shallots, capers, and balsamic, and the angry Italian pizza, a bubbling 12-inch pie spiced with Calabrian chili sweet sausages, capocolla, and a drizzle of Italian hot honey. A range of artisan sides are on hand to accompany the mains, and for first-timers, Richardson recommends the creamy parmigiano polenta, topped with fresh cracked pepper.

General manager Alessio Marini, a native of Florence, Italy, who has earned second-level sommelier and International Bartenders’ Association Head Barman certifications, serves as the “engine of the room” and takes great pride in the restaurant’s beverage menu.

“I love soccer, food, and wine, in that specific order,” Marini noted. “My wine list inspiration comes from my past experiences in Spain, Italy, and California. It’s basically a collection of wines that I personally learned to love over my career because of the places I worked and the sites I visited. I was born five minutes from the Capezzana Winery Estate in Carmignano, Prato, the oldest recognized wine appellation in Italy, dating back to 1716. Wine has been in my blood for generations.” But Catezza serves far more than fine wine alone. Specialty cocktails include a mascarpone espresso martini, a Calabrian margarita, and a bourbonbased Boulevardier. There’s also a bar program entirely directed around gin and negroni. “After years of vodka and tequila, negroni and gin are making a comeback,” Richardson said. “We are capitalizing on that new wave and have introduced some spectacular cocktails.”

Drinks like the coffee negroni, featuring Pa’lante coffee rum and campari, and the Violette Negroni, crafted from Elana London dry gin and Cocchi Americano. A DIY gin-and-tonic menu informs guests of each ingredient’s highlights and palate properties.

“Catezza is truly an experience,” Richardson said. “The food, the drinks, the dessert, and the atmosphere: it’s simply an amazing place.”

Catezza Italian Kitchen and Bar

19 Broad Street, Red Bank

catezzarestaurant.com / 732.633.0003