“I am a glutton for punishment,” says restaurateur Scott Rosenberg.
After running Il Barilotto in Fishkill for 19 years and then answering local foodies’ request for Italian fine dining by opening Il Figlio Enoteca in the town in 2021, Rosenberg isn’t resting on his laurels. Instead, he’s opened La Sorella Mercato, a self-described “elevated casual” venue next door to his successful Il Figlio.
In Italian, La Sorella Mercato translates as “sister market,” a nod to its neighbor and its double function of cafe and retail. In the bright, airy space, patrons can buy a pound of La Sorella coffee while sipping the same hot, grab a package of imported pasta to fix for dinner, and pick up fresh flowers to dress up the dinner table. “The retail goods are things that I would love to have in my own kitchen and home,” Rosenberg says.
The menu isn’t complicated, but it’s lovely: Breakfast options include smoked salmon toast ($15) and quiche ($10) for those who want to linger, and egg sandwiches ($8.50) and pastries ($3 to $7.50) for customers who are on the go. Soups, salads, and sandwiches range from creamy tomato soup ($8) to salade Nicoise ($18) and mortadella with pistachio pesto and burrata on focaccia ($15).
“La Sorella is a love letter of food I like to eat; it's hard to put a title on it,” Rosenberg says. “It definitely has an Italian overtone, but grabs influence from all over.”
Rosenberg intended his new spot to be a refreshing stop during a busy day. “La Sorella also is bringing something new to Fishkill,” he says. “I love that people can come here, relax for an hour, take a break from the stresses of life, and enjoy a meal without breaking the bank.”
Guests order at the counter, and “the rest is left in our hands,” Rosenberg continues. “Waiters deliver your beverages, food, and check in to make sure you are enjoying or need anything else. Although there are no servers technically waiting on the tables, the whole experience feels welcoming and fun.”
Sitting down and taking a break is important during the day, and La Sorella is a pleasant place to do just that—and enjoy a drink while you do it. “One of my favorite things to do when in Italy is get a pressed sandwich at a local bar and a simple cocktail,” Rosenberg says. “There was no need for a full bar here. Come and have an Aperol spritz, a glass of white wine, or a negroni. When you go sit down at a restaurant in Italy and order wine, it's never as complicated as it is here in the United States. Have a glass of red and relax. It's going to be delicious. Not everything needs to be fussed over.”
The interior, too, is a breath of fresh air. Like he did for Il Figlio Enoteca, Rosenberg brought in designer Ford Skoglund, who soaked the space in light that defies its location in the busy Main Street Plaza strip mall. Banquette seating lines the walls and runs down the center, lit by clean white pendants and elegant hanging lamps and table lamps atop the banquettes, interspersed with ficus trees. “Even on the cloudiest days, the inside of La Sorella is cheery and tranquil,” Rosenberg says. “The space transports you away from daily life and is rather soothing.”
Rosenberg learned of Skoglund from a contractor while planning Il Figlio. Skoglund ended up designing Il Figio’s refined, two-story space, and Rosenberg wasted no time in hiring him to do the same for La Sorella. “Accidentally meeting Ford Skoglund was one of the best things that ever happened to me,” Rosenberg says. “His guidance and expertise not only in design, but in the restaurant business in general has really helped me become successful. We wanted La Sorella to have its own identity and be strikingly different from Il Figlio.”
When scouting for a second location, Rosenberg took mileage into consideration—and serendipity responded when a former yoga studio vacated its storefront in the plaza. “When the space next door became available, it suddenly hit me that this was it!” Rosenberg says. “I wanted to make sure I developed something that didn't compete with Il Figlio, but complemented it.”
Besides the convenience of shepherding side-by-side businesses, there’s a secret benefit as well that Rosenberg reveals: “The two restaurants are separate entities in the front but are connected in the kitchen, which makes a mini city back there.”
If that mini city had a mayor, it would be Gerber Hernandez, the chef that oversees both Il Figlio and La Sorella. “He works carefully with me every day to help create specials and run both kitchens,” Rosenberg explains. “Gerber is a classic example of someone living the American dream. He began as a dishwasher at Il Barilotto many years ago. Through hard work, he has earned the title of executive chef. I count my blessings every day to have such a great person to work beside.”
In the warm weather, customers can enjoy outside seating, which, like the inside perimeter of the restaurant, is equipped with charging stations for people needing to work through their lunch break. La Sorella also serves as a private event space, offering sit-down dinners for up to 80 guests and cocktail receptions for up to 120 guests.
So after a couple decades of running restaurants, is rest finally in Rosenberg’s crystal ball? “I love working hard and seeing how happy people are when they come to La Sorella. My future plans are to eventually get some sleep,” he jokes. “Running two businesses is no easy task, but this is the bed I made. I secretly love it.”
La Sorella
992 Main Street, Suite 22, Fishkill
Lasorellafishkill.com
(845) 871-2010
