The chefs behind Torrisi, Bridges and Lei share their takes on the semifrozen treat, an Italian classic that’s both versatile and easy to make.
At the Italian restaurant Torrisi, the coffee granita is not too sweet and pairs well with vanilla ice cream.Credit...Amy Li
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By Mahira Rivers
For decades, ice cream has been a staple of dessert menus at American restaurants of all kinds, whether in the form of a hot fudge sundae or less conventional flavors like cardamom or sake lees. But lately, New York City chefs are offering a different, lesser-known treat: granita, a classic Italian semifrozen dessert that may be even better suited to a hot summer day. “Ice creams and sorbets can be pretty rich, but granita is light and textural,” says Sam Lawrence, 34, the chef and a co-owner of the Chinatown restaurant Bridges, which features a popular seasonal granita made with ripe plums. In the midst of a heat wave, in other words, it’s “a much more delicate and refreshing [thing] to eat.”
