In a city full of pizza restaurants, Adoro Lei set out to do something completely different: turn pizza night into a celebration.
The idea wasn’t simply to serve great Italian food, it was to create an experience where strangers become collaborators, tables turn into dance floors, and every guest leaves with a story worth telling.
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Rick Froio, Michael DiBugnara, and Chef Mario |
“Adoro Lei is described as a ‘Pizza Party,’ not just a restaurant,” says Michael DiBugnara, Chief Creative Officer at Likey Co. and one of the founding partners behind the concept. “Our group knew we wanted to create a pizza establishment because the area desperately needed one.”
But DiBugnara had something bigger in mind than just another New York pizza spot. “My initial instinct in designing the concept and creating the brand ethos was to have it reflect the aesthetic of places we’d love to spend time in,” he explains. “Lively establishments where patrons could break out in dance at their table at any moment. A place we could adore each other and celebrate.”
The name itself carries that spirit. Adoro Lei translates from Italian as “I Adore Her.” “There was nothing that reflected this type of establishment with pizza being the star of the menu that we’d ever experienced,” DiBugnara says. “Adoro Lei was born.” What makes Adoro Lei stand out in the competitive New York pizza restaurant scene isn’t just its menu, it’s the experience guests become part of.
One of the restaurant’s most talked-about attractions is its boozy pizza-making experience, where diners roll up their sleeves, stretch dough, and create their own pies alongside Chef Mario and the team. The idea emerged during one of the most uncertain periods in the restaurant’s history.
“After Covid, our entire customer base had evaporated,” DiBugnara recalls. “For years we were a fun Happy Hour spot where local workers would flock during the week. But after Covid, most of these companies were gone, or had gone remote.” The partners gathered and faced a difficult question: should they walk away? “We met as a partnership group and the question arose if it was time to give up,” he says.
Instead, they tried one last experiment.
“One thing I understood from my work with brands was that people post-Covid yearned to be introduced to new experiences now that they were back in the wild,” DiBugnara explains. “We decided we would make one more push.”
The team invited creators to film themselves participating in the pizza-making experience. The response was instant. “It was almost an immediate hit,” he says. “I was in Miami shortly after the first two creators had posted on TikTok, and my phone began going berserk.” Thousands of requests poured in. “We had a stream of followers pouring in,” DiBugnara remembers. “It is a moment I will never forget.”
What guests quickly discovered is that the magic of Adoro Lei happens not only in the kitchen, but at the table.
“We laugh all the time because Chef Mario trained with some of the best chefs on the planet,” DiBugnara says. “And now he watches the patrons making the food instead.” But that’s exactly the point. “There is something magical in seeing people grabbing and stretching the dough for the first time,” he says. “The freedom they are afforded to create.”
Guests experiment with toppings, compete for the best pie, and celebrate the winner chosen by Chef Mario. “The competition we inspire as we award the person that creates the best pie is part of the fun,” DiBugnara says.
And when the experience ends, the celebration begins. “We end the experience with a sparkler and the DJ plays a specific song to help celebrate whatever the guests are celebrating,” he explains. From birthdays to date nights, the energy is contagious.
“We have crafted these moments to inspire collaboration in creation,” he says. “It truly showcases how much fun people have expressing their own tastes and newfound pizza skills.”
On weekends, the restaurant feels closer to a party than a traditional dinner reservation.
“Friday, Saturday, and Sunday brunch we program rotating DJs,” DiBugnara says. “I, myself, can be found on most Saturday nights in the DJ booth, curating the soundtrack for people’s journey.” The vibe is unmistakable. “It is high spirited, and it is rare if we don’t have a table break into dance or at least be singing along to their favorite party anthems,” he says.
Even the design of the space is built around the idea of celebration. “When I first came up with the concept of adoration being our foundation, I looked for an artist to help bring visuals to life,” DiBugnara explains. He found that collaborator in artist Dessie Jackson, whose illustrations now define the visual identity of the restaurant. “I came up with a list of 20 images I wanted her to create that would represent different iterations of adoration,” he says. Those works now form the artistic heart of the space. “People are always posing in front of them and taking photos,” DiBugnara says. “I designed the rest of the space around those images.” White marble panels display the artwork like a gallery, mirrors reflect the pieces throughout the room, and lighting highlights the colorful scenes. “I knew the desire for people to share compelling imagery would help create our universe,” he explains.
While the design and experience create the party, the food remains central to everything.
Chef Mario, who DiBugnara has known since childhood, anchors the menu with classic Italian flavors while embracing the playful spirit of the restaurant. “Chef Mario and I are friends since childhood,” DiBugnara says. “He told me, ‘Don’t open a restaurant, but if you do, I’ll advise you.’”
But DiBugnara had bigger plans. “I knew not only Mario’s talent, but that he would love to create inside this concept I had been dreaming up,” he says. The decision proved right almost immediately. After tasting Mario’s cooking, founding partner Rick Froio didn’t hesitate. “After the first of five courses Rick looked at me and said, ‘This is our guy. We gotta bring him in!’”
“Being a native New Yorker, I have great respect for legacy restaurants that survive and thrive,” DiBugnara says. He draws inspiration from classic establishments across the city. “I’ve been a patron of Keith Mcnally’s restaurants since my very first paycheck. Establishments like his combined with the tradition of family establishments that lived for decades in Little Italy were our role models. What made these places great were never just one thing,” he explains. “They succeed in delivering a great atmosphere, menu and service. Chef Mario puts as much effort and pride into his team as he does his dishes. All of this combined with the atmosphere we curate makes for great memory making (and content).”
At Adoro Lei, those elements come together to create something rare in the New York dining scene: a restaurant that feels like an event every time you visit.
And the experience isn’t limited to adults. “Kids love pizza making,” DiBugnara says. “We book a lot of families and kids’ parties now.” While evenings lean toward an adult pizza party atmosphere, daytime celebrations are filled with families creating pies together. “Adults finally get to go to a kids party where they’re thrilled to join in on the fun,” he laughs. “Pizza is a cheat code for all ages.”
Over the years, the restaurant has hosted nearly every kind of celebration imaginable. “We have seen it all,” DiBugnara says. “Family reunions, corporate outings, girls’ nights, anniversaries, celebration of life, gender reveals, even engagements.” The team has become experts at elevating those moments. “My personal DJ USB has folders for every moment imaginable,” he says.
Despite its growing popularity, including visits from celebrities, athletes, and musicians, the restaurant remains focused on what matters most: creating memories. “We choose not to publicize celebrity visits out of respect for their privacy,” DiBugnara says.
Instead, the real success of Adoro Lei is measured by something simpler. “I’m immensely proud of who Adoro Lei has grown up to become,” he shares. “The notoriety it has achieved over the last three years was really hard fought for, but we never gave up.”
And when guests leave after their first night at this one-of-a-kind NYC pizza party restaurant, DiBugnara hopes they walk away with one simple thought. “We can’t wait to take you here.”
