As part of Gainesville’s revitalization project, a new restaurant is coming to the square. On Wednesday morning it was announced the establishment will be an Italian restaurant named “Cotto.”
The owners, who own several restaurants already, say they are excited for their Italian vision to be a part of the Gainesville community. Chef Scott Kinsey, along with his wife Alexis Kinsey, will also be working with Italian Chef Raffaele Crispino. Crispino is from Naples and he has owned several authentic restaurants in both Italy and the U.S.
The new restaurant issued a press release with a peek into its upcoming menu. “Cotto” means a meal that is fully cooked and ready to enjoy. In that vein, Kinsey says Cotto will have modern Italian entrees, focused on authentic Italian dishes. “Our menu is currently being developed and we intend for Cotto to bring a level of comfort and sophistication in our Italian fare,” says Kinsey.
The objective of Cotto is to introduce the best of Italy’s many regions to Gainesville and Hall County. According to Chef Raffale Crispino, “Italian food is a surprisingly diverse cuisine. Each of the twenty Italian regions has a distinctive set of flavors, recipes, products, and ingredients. In fact, the Italian regions were not officially united as a nation until the mid-19th century. Each individual region has retained much of its exclusive identity and we hope to showcase some of that here at Cotto.”
The restaurant will be located on the east end of the Gainesville Renaissance Building, adjacent to the Renaissance Park. Cotto will allow guests the opportunity to enjoy beverages on its piazza, or porch, that overlooks the park.
Doug Ivester, the owner of Gainesville Renaissance said, “From the initial concept to develop the fourth side of the square, it has been a major goal to bring a high-end Italian Restaurant to our unique building. Cotto fits the bill perfectly and we are excited to see that goal achieved.”
Sam Couvillon, Gainesville’s new mayor said, “As I have said before, Gainesville Renaissance is a wonderful addition to the City of Gainesville. In the beginning, Doug Ivester promised to bring an Italian Restaurant to the Square. I believe that the addition of Cotto is delivering on that promise in a big way and we send a big welcome to the new owners."
The couple previously announced they will also be opening “Taqueria Tsunami” on the Gainesville square. That restaurant will open on the opposite end of the Renaissance Building and it will be a Latin Asian fusion. Taqueria Tsunami is expected to be the first of the two restaurants to open. It is expected to open in about two months while Cotto is expected to open by the end of the year.
Cotto is managed by Fork U Concepts, LLC, a multi-brand restaurant company based in Marietta, GA. Fork U Concepts is the parent company of restaurants Taqueria Tsunami, Latin Asian Kitchen, Stockyard Burgers & Bones, Silla Del Toro and Forno Vero. The company is co-owned by Alexis Aleshire Kinsey & Scott Kinsey. The company recently celebrated its 10th anniversary.
