70 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {food coloring} modate almost double the guests as the old space, it’s a fresh start for Alisa and her staff. “It was either move or close,” she says definitively. “We knew we couldn’t operate there anymore. It was getting too small and the kitchen was tiny. We’ve had to turn away a lot of business over the years. But we are determined to maintain the same integrity.” In 2013, Alisa became the sole owner of the restaurant while her ex-husband continues to lead the kitchen as Stella’s executive chef. As to how the two of them still manage to work so well together, Alisa says matterof-factly, “We are absolutely still family. It’s just natural.” With interiors designed by Emily Detert, Stella’s new vibrant two-story space has been completely renovated with a color palette of moss green, amber and dark wood accents. Star pendants symbolize the name “Stella,” and original stained glass from the restaurant’s previous space is prominently backlit. An exquisite rounded quartzite bar—with pops of blues and greens evoking the mountains and countryside of Italy’s Piemonte region—greets guests as they walk in. Punctuated by cozy booths, the restaurant also features plenty of covered outdoor space in the back and private meeting and event dining rooms upstairs. “There’s something for everybody now,” Alisa states proudly. “You can have a quiet dinner at a quaint little table or be a part of
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