Mollusca is a spirited and sophisticated seafood restaurant with influences from around the world, formed in partnership between Alpina Hospitality Group and Eric Agababayev. The restaurant is set to open on April 20, 2022. In March 2020, the Mollusca team and Eric began building the space in the Meatpacking District, working through the pandemic and construction delays. The Mollusca team persevered because in the famous words of Frank Sinatra, “If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere.”
Mollusca’s Brand Chef Gianmaria Sapia was born in Savona, Italy and began working in his family’s restaurant Da Nicola at the young age of six. His first job was cleaning fresh mussels and he worked through every station, learning his family’s cooking techniques and recipes. He became the head chef of the restaurant, developing his own recipes and cooking style that began to diverge from traditional Italian offerings. In 2018, he was tapped to open the first Mollusca concept in Moscow.
Chef Sapia’s menu for New York showcases 35 unique varieties of mussel sauces including Cacio e Pepe; Salted Caramel and Popcorn; Peanut Butter; and Condensed milk and wasabi. The restaurant will also include a raw bar, Pasta and Risotto course—as a nod to Chef Gianmaria’s Italian heritage—and seafood-focused main courses, as well as a high-end cocktail bar and extensive wine and craft beer selections.
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