Casa Basso is an Italian restaurant located on the eastern end of
Long Island
Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...
in
Westhampton, New York. It is the site of the Theophilus Brouwer House. The property including both Casa Basso and the house has been designated a
Westhampton Hamlet Heritage Resource, as it includes ruins of the pottery studio and kiln of
Theophilus Anthony Brouwer, Jr.
History
Location
The property is bordered by
Montauk Highway to the front and the
Beaver Dam Creek to the back. It was originally purchased in the late 19th century by American artist
Theophilus Anthony Brouwer, Jr. As a young man, Brouwer traveled and studied art in
Spain and
Italy, and when he returned to
Long Island
Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...
, he built a castle like one he remembered near
Seville. After completing the castle, he adorned the property with romantic sculptures which include two twelve foot swordsmen, a Roman lion, and a
Psyche. This man-made property would later become known as
Pinewold Park and be open for public viewing.
Restaurant
Casa Basso was opened as a restaurant for the first time in 1928 by New York restaurateur
M.L. Basso and his family. The Basso family successfully operated the restaurant until 1958 when it was purchased by Valerio "Rene" Mondini.
In 1986, Mondini sold the restaurant to his longtime apprentice, Bejto Bracovic, who became the new owner and executive chef.
References
{{Reflist
Further reading
*''Discovering Long Island'',
William Oliver Stevens, 1939, Dodd, Mead & Co., N.Y
External links
Casa Basso Official Website
Castles in the United States
Castles in New York (state)
Restaurants in New York (state)
Historic sites in New York (state)
Restaurants established in 1928
1928 establishments in New York (state)
Westhampton, New York