You might not expect an esthetician and a jeweler to also be successful restaurateurs, but all three monikers can be used to describe Julie and Louie Pipolo, a Newburgh couple with a knack for knowing what diners want.
Julie owns Skin Westchester in Rye, and Louie worked with precious gems for most of his career, but food and entertaining has always been their passion. In the early 2010s, after dinner at Cornwall-on-Hudson’s Riverbank, a now-shuttered restaurant that was located inside The Cornwall Bank, the couple began to think about turning their love for feeding people into a business. “We walked into Riverbank and I thought, ‘This is a cute place. If it ever became available, maybe we could do something with it,’” recalls Julie, “And sure enough it did.”
The pair turned the space into an Italian restaurant, Pepettini, to rave reviews. And eight years later, in October 2022, they added Storm King Lounge and Fare—located right next door to Pepettini—to their repertoire. (They also own Pizza 300 in Newburgh and La Piazza in Brookfield, Connecticut.)
Their newish spot also has history—it was the site of the circa-1935 Storm King Theatre for decades. The couple gutted the interior to make way for an “elegant yet comfortable” lounge, as Julie describes it. The vibe is old New York (most of the furniture came from Vintage Emporium in Newburgh) and caters to customers who want to stop in for a drink or a bite at the bar—try the taleggio fondue with seared beef and cauliflower—or settle in at a table for dinner and enjoy a heartier entrée such as the pan-seared lamb chops with tamarind date sauce, which Julie says will “melt in your mouth.” The tempura fried cauliflower and pan-seared salmon with orange-ginger chili glaze are also delicious.
“We think of Pepettini as an extension of our home and Storm King takes this one step further,” says Julie. “It’s so great to watch people feeling joy and experiencing a night out.”
Chef Dederick’s attention to detail is incredible. He can make anything. He even churns the butter we serve.
Storm King’s menu, which also includes a spectacular Sunday brunch featuring everything from the classics—eggs Benedict and French toast—to trendier options like shakshuka and a Mediterranean scramble with chorizo and feta, was crafted by chef Michael Dederick, who the couple has known for years. “His attention to detail is incredible. He can make anything. He even churns the butter we serve,” says Julie, adding that there is also a kids’ brunch menu. Most of the meat they plate up is procured from Vincent’s Meat Market on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx and the produce comes primarily from Adams Fairacre Farms.
And since this is a lounge after all, the small bites and drinks are also worth their salt (especially on the spicy mango margarita.) Order a Butterfly Lemon Drop with butterfly-pea extract or an Aphrodite Paloma with orgeat syrup and pair them with the SK focaccia with prosciutto, fig, arugula, and goat cheese or the pulled pork nachos, and take in the live music, which happens every couple of months. (Visit stormkingloungeandfare.com for a schedule.)
“Storm King Lounge and Fare has really been a labor of love for us,” says Julie. “It’s a place to sit, relax, have a great meal, and enjoy.”
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