On Dr.Vino.com, Tyler Colman reports that all Batali and Bastianich restaurants—including Babbo, Lupa, Casa Mono, Eataly and Del Posto—face a $500,000 fine and a six-month suspension of their liquor licenses for all of their businesses held under Eataly LLC, which includes all of their restaurants in New York State. The items posted to the State Liquor Authority (SLA) website state the infractions as “interlocking interest” and “false material statement.” Because the Bastianichs have interests in several businesses on the wine side—including Bastianich Winery in Friuli—the former could refer to any number of conflicting holdings.
This comes on the heels of a series of SLA crackdowns. If the suspensions are upheld it could lead to major issues for all of the restaurants, whose bottom lines depending on the sale of alcohol. The case is set to be brought before the board on March 25th. [Dr.Vino] [Image: Flickr/Bianca Natalia]