Ruth Reichl wrote in the New York Times: "The restaurant is unlike any other in New York... eating your way through this menu of tapas and appetizers is an exhilarating experience. The food is so good that with a group of six or seven it is tempting to go right through the menu."
Today, il Buco is a renowned Mediterranean restaurant with the look and feel of a European country home - as natural and rustically elegant as the food - an under the radar gathering spot for designers, actors, writers, and food lovers who are inspired by great food amongst friends in comfortabe surroundings.
While Donna sources ingredients from local farmers, Alberto assists from Umbria, bringing in the Italian products from the basis of their namesake artisan product line, il Buco Alimentare. Chef Ignacio Mattos works wonders with these ingredients in simple, flavorful combinations. The Wine Cellar, rumored to have been the inspiration for Edgar Alan Poe's "Cask of Amontillado," is now a converted private dining room with over 400 bottles from Italy, Spain, France and the New World adorning the space.