The founders of Elizabeth Street Hospitality are far more accustomed to spending time together than most business partners. Not only are Jennifer and Nicole Vitagliano twins, but they also co-parent Nicole’s daughter, Raffi, and a dog named Coco together.
Raised in New York surrounded by a large Italian American family, the sisters are no strangers to hospitality. “Everything centered around cooking and food in our family,” says Jennifer. “There was an open-door policy—we were constantly entertaining people coming through our house. That passion led us into the restaurant industry.” Jennifer was the first to delve into the F&B world, developing restaurants for clients, including Musket Room, a Michelin-starred restaurant that opened in Manhattan’s Nolita neighborhood in 2013.
The sisters began collaborating on projects, like the Dutchess in Rhinebeck, New York. The 200-plus-acre Hudson Valley farm, purchased with partners and eventually sold, “honored why we got into hospitality in the first place,” Nicole says. “It brought everything we loved under one roof. Food and ingredients were sourced from the farm and a pipeline of talent came from New York City to the Hudson Valley—it was everything we ever wanted.”
A steepled skylight filters natural light into the garden atrium at Cafe Zaffri
Then, six years ago, Nicole, who had been working in fashion, officially came on board and Elizabeth Street Hospitality was formed. It was at that time that the Vitaglianos took over operations at Musket Room, too. Their portfolio has since grown with the 2023 launch of Raf’s, situated in Manhattan’s NoHo neighborhood, and the debut of Cafe Zaffri earlier this year inside the Twenty Two New York hotel and members club in Union Square. Jackson Hole, Wyoming- and Brooklyn, New York-based Post Company, a firm the Vitaglianos had long-admired, crafted the interior design and branding for both restaurants.
For each of their venues, authenticity is key. “There’s no shortage of concepts, and we’ve always been really affirmed that we don’t want to make everything a ‘concepty’ concept,” says Nicole. “We try to make everything so beautiful, but not in a way that you don’t feel like you can relax. Some things can look easy and carefree. We want it to feel laidback and authentic.”
Jennifer adds, “Not everything has to be perfect, but design definitely informs how your guests treat the space, how they experience the space, how they feel in the space. We’re hoping to contribute to the cultural landscape in New York in a way that feels timeless and doesn’t feel too of the moment or on trend.”
The dining room at Raf’s in New York, designed by Post Company
Elizabeth Street Hospitality takes their goal of giving patrons a place to truly settle in and relax a step further by not offering cell service, encouraging people to focus on enjoying the company around them and the ambiance of the space. Plus, “we decidedly don’t craft our dishes for Instagram and don’t allow ring lights or flash photography,” Nicole points out.
Opening Cafe Zaffri, also referred to as Zaf’s, at a members club was a seamless fit for the restaurant group. The Vitaglianos connected with the team at the Twenty Two, which has operated a location in London’s Mayfair district since 2022, and because “we’ve created this kind of clubhouse and community around our restaurants and the people who frequent them,” Jennifer says. “The idea of a members club felt like a natural extension, building upon that.” (In addition to Zaf’s, which is open to the public, Elizabeth Street is also behind the F&B at the destination’s members-only living room space, dining room, and nightclub.)
This following and community mentality is so apparent that Jennifer and Nicole have coined the phrase ‘bang bang’ to reference when guests visit more than one of their establishments in a day. “It happens all the time,” Jennifer says. “It’s great to see, especially because Zaf’s is a new restaurant. I feel like Zaf’s is reminding people of Raf’s or Musket Room. It’s exactly what we want—we want to see people multiple times a day.” Nicole adds: “We see a lot of suitcases, too. It used to be a major pet peeve of mine, but we’ve come to find it flattering that we are someone’s first or last meal in New York City.”
European-style café and restaurant Raf’s, located in New York’s NoHo neighborhood
Behind the scenes, the sisters operate from “a foundation of trust, love, and respect,” as Jennifer puts it, “with open communication, understanding, and empathy for each other.” Although, working with family comes with its challenges. “It’s a double-edged sword [when it comes to] boundaries. You call them when there’s an emergency and they pick up your slack where needed,” says Nicole. “We hold each other to a higher standard than everyone else, and I wish we could further multiply—we need two more of us as of late.”
Jennifer continues, “You’re hard on the people you’re closest to, but there is an implicit level of trust in everything we do. People always say: ‘Don’t work with your friends, don’t work with your family,’ but all of our success started to be realized once we partnered. It’s important to partner with people who you like and who you love.”
Cafe Zaffri at the Twenty Two New York is the handiwork of Post Company and Child Studio
The inviting marble-topped bar at Raf’s
Raf’s is defined by an eclectic mix of modern forms and vintage elements
Executive chef and partner Mary Attea draws on Italian and French cuisines at Raf’s
This article originally appeared in HD’s November 2025 issue.
