A Look Inside Carrino Provisions, A New Italian-American Food Hall In Jersey City

Carrino Provisions is set up to showcase four different eating and drinking experiences, from café to market to osteria. Photos (more below) by Gabi Porter.

Welcome to Interior Motives, our new feature focusing on the design inspiration behind just-opened restaurants, food halls and bars. First up: Carrino Provisions, the new Jersey City suite of restaurants and shops from the hospitality team behind Talde and Pork Slope.

This foray into Jersey from the guys we've chronicled graphic-style as the Three Kings of Brooklyn (see link at bottom of page) is split into four spaces with a distinctly Italian accent: café, market, osteria and cantina. The team, Dale Talde, David Massoni and John Bush, partnered with the duo who executed the design, Anthony Carrino and John Colaneri, stars of makeover shows on HGTV and the DIY Network. The complex, which debuted just two weeks ago, shares a building with the Jersey City outpost of the popular Asian-inspired Talde, which opened last night. Here, Carrino describes the concept behind the interiors at the spot that bears his family name, which is attracting a lot of buzz in the suddenly happening Jersey City dining scene.

What was the initial concept for the design of the space?

I wanted to respect the history and industrial nature of the original structure while creating an old-world Italian feel. The hand-painted signage anchors each of the market spaces, and then we used all of the old windows we pulled out of the space to create a wall of glass to divide the osteria from the market area. 

Who led the design and construction?

I led the design, and I worked with my cousin John Colaneri and my construction firm, Brunelleschi Construction, and my father, Alfonso, who led the construction. 

What were the biggest challenges?

Construction-wise, bringing a building that was built in the 1890s up to date (and code!) is no small feat. For example, we are dealing with three-foot-thick concrete floors — every plumbing pipe and electrical wire had to be drilled through these floors to connect to our main panels in the basement. 

Design-wise, we have four distinct components to CP: The Market, The Coffee Bar, The Osteria, and The Cantina. It was very important to me to have the space feel connected, but each area have its own design details. This was accomplished with various lighting and textural elements to divide the spaces. 

What, if any, compromises had to be made?

I can't think of a compromise. We had a blank canvas and the entire team was super-passionate. We all busted our asses to realize our full vision. 

What's the most interesting design detail in the space?

Our coffee bar is built out of two pieces of a huge steel I beam that we cut out of the building when we added the new fire stairs from the residential levels. We saved the steel for 18 months on site and then created the coffee bar from it. Adaptive reuse is one of my favorite things to do, and this was the perfect reincarnation for this steel. Fun fact: Steel technology has come such a long way that you won't see steel made [like this] anymore. There is no longer a need for a web this large to carry the same load, so this steel is irreplaceable — and it is also the reason the floors are as thick as they are in the building.

How do you feel about the outcome of Carrino Provisions?

I have never been more proud of a project. This is due to both the aesthetic outcome and the team who made it happen. My partners are incredibly passionate, and we all couldn't be more thrilled to open our doors to Jersey City. 

Carrino Provisions, 8 Erie St., Jersey City, NJ 07302, 973-988-2836, carrinoprovisions.com

A wall of glass divides the osteria from the market space. [/caption]
The Three Kings Ride Again! From left: John Bush, Dale Talde and David Massoni.[/caption]
The Italian menu is the first from a team that includes an alum (Massoni) from Mario Batali's restaurant group. [/caption]
Carrino cites the coffee bar, made from a salvaged metal I beam, as a signature design element. [/caption]
A detail of the I beam. [/caption]
"It was very important to me to have the space feel connected, but each area have its own design details," says Carrino.[/caption]

John Bush, who runs the bar program, sourced some of the glassware from antique stores. Here, he serves up amaro shots on a custom-made Carrino Provisions tray.[/caption]

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