Photo Credit: Reagan RuleThis fall, Chef Vincenzo Betulia is set to raise the bar on Naples dining with the debut of Tulia Italian Steak, opening in October on Fifth Avenue South. Known for bringing soulful Italian cooking to life at Osteria Tulia, Bar Tulia, and Tulia Catering & Events, Betulia now turns his focus to an elevated steakhouse experience. Housed in the former home of The French Brasserie, the new restaurant will reimagine the classic steakhouse through Betulia’s lens. Picture USDA Prime and global Wagyu beef grilled to perfection, complemented by fresh, housemade pastas like bucatini cacio e pepe, pennoni alla vodka, and truffle-laced tortellini. Seasonal seafood, veal “parmigiana,” and heritage chicken round out a menu that balances richness with lightness. Guests can also expect a world-class wine program with rare pours by the glass, a caviar service with international selections, and a cocktail list with a nod towards Italian craftsmanship. Tucked inside Tulia Italia Steak will be Betulia’s intimate speakeasy, Rouge completely reborn as a plush lounge for aperitifs and nightcaps.
Haute Living sits down with Chef Vincenzo Betulia to explore the inspiration, flavors, and vision behind his most ambitious project yet.
Haute Living (HL): What inspired you to transition The French from a brasserie into Tulia Italian Steak?
Chef Vincenzo Betulia (VB): The idea came the day after Covid. We were closed and I was sitting on the terrace of The French with my financial partners discussing what to do next. People were confused, staff were just laid off, and there was a lot of the unknown. I was trying to understand how to soothe or ease peoples’ minds. That said, I had mentioned to my partners that Americans love the smell of a grill, whether it’s in the backyard, or tailgating, etc. It sparks a memory of summer, a familiar scent, and the smokiness sparks an appetite. People were looking for comfort; Italian food is America’s comfort food, so for Osteria Tulia, it was easy to comfort people with trays of pasta, wood-burning pizzas, and more. My partners were not in my camp for a concept change, so The French did take out and turned into a grocery store. Many were coming to pick up pounds of meat, seafood, cheese, wine, etc for them to take home without even getting out of the car. The idea has been on my brain’s back burner for that long.
A little over two years ago, I converted a semi-private dining room behind The French into a 16-seat clandestine, speakeasy-style steakhouse. That little back room was a crazy hit! People entered through the back door and there was a different menu from The French. There was no online presence, and you needed to text to get a reservation. Women were getting super dressed up to come out to eat. It was so refreshing to see and experience. Then last season with the inspiration of Rouge, I made the menu at The French 50% beef for the entrées section. We went through season, and after I pulled my analytics to see what sold. The top-selling item at The French from day one was the steak frites. After this season ended, the top five selling dishes on our entrées section was all beef. That solidified my decision.
Italian is America’s comfort food. It is highly recognizable and they know what to expect. This is the same with a steakhouse. I have married America’s love affair under one roof, and I’m the chef/pastor.
Photo Credit: Reagan Rule
HL: Why a steakhouse, and why now?
VB: I am a local chef, operator, and owner and due to all my hard work and passion, we have become a household name in Naples. We need something new on the avenue that’s fun, exciting, elegant, hip, and casual. We are a steakhouse, Italian restaurant, bar, and lounge now.
Photo Credit: Reagan Rule
HL: How does the Italian influence shape your vision for a steakhouse compared to a more traditional American steakhouse?
VB: The menu is slanted with Italian flair. Outside of the robust beef selection (which we will be offering USDA Prime, Australian Prime, Australian Wagyu, Japanese Wagyu, prime aged veal, and hopefully Italian beef), the listed restaurants from above do not have that selection and the remainder of the menu will offer elevated Italian American dishes like heritage airline chicken breast with wood roasted Marsala mushrooms to prime veal alla parmigiana.
We will also offer locally caught day boat snapper from a Naples fisherman, tuna crudo, and Faroe Island salmon for the non-meat eaters. We have a Wine Spectator award-winning wine list with all of the Italian blue-chip wineries and all of the French First Growth wineries as well.
Photo Credit: Reagan Rule
HL: Can you share what diners can expect in terms of atmosphere and design compared to The French?
VB: The French was a brasserie, an open concept dining room. Now, we have closed the kitchen from the dining room and clad the walls with vintage brick and flocked velvet wallpaper. The once open interior dining room now has a long banquette running through the middle of it, creating small cozy spaces for the diners to create a more intimate feel. The dining chairs are black tufted wide leather to beef up the table presence. Rouge has become a lounge with leather barrel chairs and vintage gold drink tables along with the dining alcove adjacent to the bar. This way we have created more bar seating. The floors will be dressed with Persian rugs to add some elegance to the feel of the room as well. The music playlist is broad and self-curated with artists ranging from Frank Sinatra to Led Zeppelin. The dining has been created to a cozy, comfortable, and luxe feel. We will continue with live jazz Sunday brunches and artists throughout some evenings as well.
To learn more, visit Tulia Italian Steak and follow their Instagram page for updates and events.
365 5th Ave South, Naples, Florida 34102