Restaurateur Donna Lennard opened her downtown NYC spot Il Buco on Bond Street in 1994, and it's been a mainstay ever since. More recently, she opened Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria on nearby Great Jones Street, a rustic market-cum-restaurant that's been an instant hit.
The onetime prop designer opened Il Buco in 1994 with her then-boyfriend Alberto Avalle as an antiques store. The shop quickly morphed into a dining spot when shoppers started joining the couple for their daily Italian lunches in store. Antiques gave way to a restaurant full of Italian rustic charm, and now Lennard has come full circle with the launch of her line of kitchen goods, Il Buco Vita. Enlisting two of her friends, Umbrian brothers Antonello and Lorenzo Radi (the latter an acclaimed Italian architect), Lennard has put together a collection of handpicked goods for the home from central and southern Italy, refreshingly none of which have been sold stateside before. Stay tuned for the opening of a dedicated store; in the meantime the collection can be found at Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria.
Above: Glass tumblers, terracotta dinner plates, and linen placemats on display with antique tiles.
Above: One of several antique jugs that start at $395 and a terracotta serving bowl with a green/brown glaze; $95.
Above: Terracotta plates made outside Siena; $42.
Above: Antique wine bottle from Umbria; $395. Wire mesh basket from Umbria with antique linen liner; $295.
Above: Handblown glass tumblers from Toscana; $30 each.
Above: Antique cotton sacking pillows from Toscana are used in the restaurant and are available starting at $195.
For more Italian finds and sources, see our Italian Travel Guide.