SPUNTINO WINE BAR & ITALIAN TAPAS TO HOST A FARM-TO-TABLE FUNDRAISER FOR CITY GREEN

Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas, specializing in small plates with a modern twist to Italian classics and fine wines from around the world, today announced that it will host a farm-to-table dinner to benefit City Green, a non-profit organization dedicated to facilitating the establishment of urban farms and gardens in northern New Jersey’s cities – creating increased access to healthy, local food while cultivating education in food systems, nutrition and the environment. The dinner will take place on Tuesday, August 9 at 7:00pm at Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas, 70 Kingsland Road, Clifton, with a reception beginning at 6:30pm.  Proceeds from the event will support the “Growing Strong” high school intern program, offering paid summer employment, youth development and job training to inner city students.

Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas’ City Green Farm-to-Table Dinner will feature an array of farm-fresh, local and seasonal dishes starring ingredients grown in City Green’s gardens. The event will begin promptly at 6:30PM with a reception featuring passed appetizers followed by a five-course dinner, developed and prepared by Executive Chef Josh Bernstein and the Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas culinary team, beginning at 7:00PM.  Additionally, dinner will be paired with wines specially selected to complement the seasonal menu.

“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with City Green Farms,” said Joshua Bernstein, executive chef, Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas. “At Spuntino, our menu development focuses on incorporating fresh, seasonal and locally sourced ingredients, and we believe in supporting local farms and vendors.  City Green Farms share that belief, and we are proud to support its team’s efforts to provide fresh produce and nutrition education for residents in urban communities where farm-fresh produce and foods aren’t easily accessible.”

Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas’ City Green Farm-to-Table Dinner menu includes (but is not limited to):

• Local Burrata: Winterbor kale pesto, cherry tomato honey. Paired with Dashwood Sauvignon Blanc.

• Fritto Misto: Local sea robin, Blue Point oyster, Golden Glory, raven zucchini, tartar aioli. Paired with Castello Della Sala ‘Bramito’ Chardonnay.

• Fresh Campanelle: Grilled dancer eggplant, heirloom tomatoes, smoked mozzarella. Paired with Pasqua Passimento Merlot Blend.

• Goffle Farm Turkey “Steak”: Tuscan kale, heirloom cherry tomatoes, salsa verde. Paired with Bertani Valpolicella.

• Nelson Carrot Cake: Ginger cream, candied red bell radishes. Paired with Cusomano Moscato.

Tickets to Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas’ City Green Farm-to-Table event are $80 per person and can be purchased online at http://spuntinowineba      r.com/city-green-farm-table-dinner/.

Beyond this dining event, Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas collaborates with City Green on additional programs throughout the year, including its “Dig In! Growing Great Vegetables” workshop series, where Executive Chef Josh Bernstein hosts farm-to-table food demonstrations to teach participants how to prepare easy, affordable dishes using produce grown in on City Green farms. Bernstein also teaches cooking lessons to students enrolled in the Growing Strong high school internship program, working with students to prepare dishes using ingredients they grew and harvested themselves on the City Green farm, and helping to educate them on the benefits of farm-fresh foods. The restaurant will lend additional support during the City Green Annual Fall Fundraiser, scheduled to take place September 24.

Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas features a chef-driven, scratch-made menu that changes four times per year, incorporating fresh, seasonal and locally sourced ingredients. To complement its menu, Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas has an extensive list of over 150 world class wines available by the bottle, with more than 50 wines by the glass.

More than just great food and wine, Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas’ dining room offers an urban-industrial vibe that is as beautiful as the food that comes out of its kitchen.  Inspired by New York City train stations of the 1920s, its aesthetics include an open air design, white subway tiles, marble hi-tops in its bar area and exposed fixtures along with prominently displayed steel and glass temperature-controlled wine bottle cabinets visible from every seat in the house – creating a sophisticated energy for comfortable conversation and an inspired, relaxed dining environment.

For information on Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas, visit www.spuntiowinebar.com, or get social on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

About City Green

City Green is a 501(c)3 urban farming and gardening organization, based in Clifton, New Jersey working to revitalize urban areas through agriculture and educational programming. It offers practical, technical and financial resources in support of environmental stewardship, equitable access to healthy food, and ecologically sustainable communities.  For more information contact Founder and Executive Director Jennifer Papa at 973-869-4086 or visit www.citygreenonline.org

About Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas

Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas features authentic Italian small plates and fine wines from around the world. With a focus on local and seasonal ingredients, Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas offers guests 60+ small plate options complete with new twists on traditional favorites, large plate options and an extensive wine list featuring 150 award winning wines with over 50 selections offered by the glass. Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas has locations at Clifton Commons on Route 3 in Clifton, NJ and The Gallery at Westbury Plaza on Long Island.  For more information, or to book a reservation, visit www.spuntinowinebar.com.