Quattro Gatti’s core menu has remained the same under new ownership.
PROVIDED BY QUATTRO GATTI
Alexander Dubey thought his wife, Cristina Yoder, might be “Punking” him. But there were no hidden cameras when she came to him last year with an unexpected idea: There was a long-running restaurant for sale, and what would Alexander think about the couple buying it?
Dubey spent the first two decades of his career working in restaurants, including managing some of Austin’s best destinations (Pitchfork Pretty, Otoko). But he’d been out of the game since the early days of the pandemic, working remotely and devoting himself to raising the couple’s two young children.
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Alexander had rebuffed multiple offers to get back into the restaurant game, and Cristina had been hesitant about him returning to such an all-consuming industry.
She believed that if her husband was to ever return to the restaurant world it would only make sense if he did so as an owner. So, when Cristina’s friend mentioned that downtown Italian restaurant Quattro Gatti (908 Congress Ave.) was for sale, the couple did their due diligence and decided the time and the opportunity were right.
Married couple Cristina Yoder (left) and Alexander Dubey took over ownership of Italian restaurant Quattro Gatti in May.
PROVIDED BY QUATTRO GATTI
Gianfranco Mastrangelo opened Quattro Gatti in 2010, and the restaurant, one of the longest-running independently owned Italian restaurants in Austin and the oldest downtown, has the kind of familial energy and roster of long-standing regulars that made the idea feel warm and inviting.
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“As soon as we sat down, the food and the vibe just clicked for us,” Dubey said. “It felt like this great little hidden spot we somehow missed, and that made us even more excited about taking it over and getting more people in the door to experience it.”
They didn’t see the potential purchase as a move to chase culinary trends or awards but as an extension of the family they were building, a third space where Alexander could deploy his hospitality skills, the kids could feel at home and Cristina could feel a personal investment.
“We liked the neighborhood feel of it,” Cristina said of the space in the historic building with dark wood furniture and mustard-colored walls like you’d find in Italy. “We want to add some more life to it, but we’re really intent on keeping the feel of the restaurant but adding to it without changing too much.”
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The couple was so cognizant of not upsetting Quattro Gatti’s regulars that they quietly assumed control of the restaurant in May without bringing too much attention to themselves for fear of upsetting their core constituency.
Gianfranco Mastrangelo opened Quattro Gatti at 908 Congress Ave. in 2010
PROVIDED BY QUATTRO GATTI
The menu, with its wood-fired pizzas and classic pasta dishes like carbonara and Bolognese, has largely stayed the same, as has the decor and staff.
Dubey, whose resume includes time at restaurants known for high design and culinary creativity, says that this new chapter in his hospitality life is in harmony with his personal life. Yes, Quattro Gatti will be a place where guests can get a craft cocktail or smart bottle of wine, but Dubey’s not interested in chasing trends or devising a way to be in conversation with the Austin dining scene.
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“The challenge is taking all that I’ve known and trained for and putting it into the space,” Dubey said. “I think it’s an opportunity for people to come and hang out without pretense. I want it to be a love letter to the places I’ve worked. It’s a little bit of a playground. I get to have fun dinners and do whatever I want in my space, whether that’s family-style buffets or tasting menus.”
“I think it’s an evolution of who Alex is,” Yoder added. “He’s a father now and has a family, and it’s a way to include us as part of his career.”
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