PARK Magazine

to the US when he was 14 from Albania and
later opening his own restaurants in Florida.
While he might have pulled Floria into the
business, she quickly realized that she had
found her own passion as well and now is just
as much of a familiar face in the restaurant.
“When they see you there, they know that you
really care about and love the place and people
appreciate it,” explains Floria.
You are sure to feel and – most importantlytaste
the difference at this delicious hidden
gem on the Hudson once you experience their
chic ambiance and carefully curated meats,
seafood and side dishes. With competitive
steakhouse pricing, you will realize that the full
value is in the memorable and mouthwatering
memories you are sure to savor long after your
meal. If you’re wondering what the secret sauce
to their success is, it’s in Gino and Floria’s
dedication and of course, the first dibs they get
on the most in-demand meats.
According to Gino, it all has to do with the
fact that their butcher is granted 4 am access to
the meat market at Hunts Point, known as the
most sought-after distribution hub for the best
steaks in the New York area. Other well-known
New York City steakhouses don’t make it there
until 6 or 7 am. By having the opportunity to
select prime steaks before anyone else, his
picks are guaranteed to make for some very
palatable plates. “We have our own aging box
and age our steaks for 28 days,” says Gino.
“About the A5 Wagyu steak, many restaurants
serve Wagyu that comes from New Zealand or
Australia, but we fly our Wagyu over from
Japan. It comes with a certificate and that
traces everything back to the cow it came from.
There is nothing on the menu that we don’t
know the origin of.”
Gino also credits his Albanian background, a
country which is located in the Mediterranean
and borders Italy, Croatia and Montenegro, for
giving him an advantage when it comes to his
understanding of food. “I’m trained to walk in
wherever I am, take five ingredients and come
up with a dish.” His wife can also attest to his
innate cooking talents. “I’m on this keto diet
and the other day he went into the fridge and
grabbed thyme and peppers, onions and
chicken and put something together and it was
amazing. The kids love his cooking, everyone
loves his cooking,” says Floria. Some of his most
creative culinary dishes have also been inspired
by his travels. After visiting a small town in
South Carolina, Gino fell in love with some
Charbroiled Oysters made with parmesan and
parsley and eventually got the recipe from the
chef and with a few ‘tweaks’ can now be found
“WE HAVE OUR OWN
AGING BOX AND AGE OUR
STEAKS FOR 28 DAYS ”
at Hudson Prime Steakhouse.
The family, who were already well-known in
the community for their other beloved spot, an
Italian restaurant called Divino Cucina
Italiana, located in Hastings-on-Hudson, just
keep adding to their extended family of happy
customers. Divino is located on a cliff on the
edge of a bridge. The space, which is built
downward, features a dining room on the first
floor, a speakeasy bar on the second floor and a
patio on the lower level with a view of the
bridge. They were not looking for another
space when, by serendipity, a mutual friend
introduced Gino and Floria to the owner of the
vacant space who insisted that they take over
the spot which held sentimental value for him.
After completing a five-month renovation,
Hudson Prime Steakhouse is now indeed in its
prime.
What might have begun as a rocky start after
opening in June of last year during the middle
of a pandemic and struggling to find qualified
staff, the restaurant has undergone a tasty
transformation. “When workers are happy, they
do a good job and grow with you,” says Floria.
With outdoor dining perfect for the spring
weather just around the corner, Hudson Prime
also hosts plenty of parties, events and a great
wedding venue. Perhaps their ultimate crown
jewel is the deck space with spectacular
Hudson River views. The restaurant also
boasts a private wine cellar that seats up to 16
people surrounded by 2500 bottles of wine.
We’ll salute to that!
Whether you want to make an enchanting
day trip to the area of Irvington or even an
extended weekend getaway, Hudson Prime is
an experience which is worth every penny. P
hudsonprimesteakhouse.com