Four veterans of Manhattan’s iconic Gramercy Tavern have come together to launch a cozy family-style eatery in the Ridgewood section of Queens, New York. Rolo’s comprises a restaurant, café, and grocery store designed by Kermit Westergaard.
The 2,400-square-foot layout features a timeless, distinctly New York aesthetic. “The intent was to create an accessible, comfortable neighborhood restaurant that in the future, say 20 years from now, might feel like it had been there for the past hundred years,” explains Westergaard. “The partners wanted the space to feel fresh and of the moment, but built with materials that shared the same design vernacular as the local butchers and bakeries.”
Housed within a structure from the early 20th century, the interior of Rolo’s was stripped of numerous layers to reveal original poplar floors, exposed structural steel, and original joists now refurbished to accentuate the address’ historic character. Attractive green patina adorns tin walls to further complement the neighborhood vernacular, and natural light pours into the storefront via floor-to-ceiling bay windows to illuminate the front bar area. Populated with banquettes and table seating, the lively bar functions as a café and grocery area during daytime hours.
The rear dining room awaits beyond a small hallway, anchored by a large wood-burning stove and cook’s kitchen that instills a pervasive warmth and intimacy. “If you were walking by and saw Rolo’s for the first time, you might wonder if it had always been there, that perhaps somehow you had just never noticed it,” Westergaard adds. “But after taking in the details, you would realize that this was definitely something new and exciting for the neighborhood.”
