elebrity-owned restaurants have always been either a hit or miss. Despite the instant cachet a restaurant has when folks learn of its affiliation to a star, the food doesn’t always deliver. For example, Planet Hollywood – owned by Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore – is decidedly kitschy and a fun one-off evening for movie buffs, but the food is nothing to write home about. Moby even got into the game by launching a Little Italy vegetarian café, TeaNY, which was in line with his beliefs. Yet again, the café lacked innovation and Moby recently bailed from it. Despite these mishaps, there is one celebrity who has managed to have a very successful career as a restaurateur and that’s none other than Robert DeNiro (yes, I’m talkin’ about you, Robert).

Many may not know that DeNiro has spent the past two decades investing in TriBeCa and helping to bring the area to prominence. He has co-founded the TriBeCa Film Festival and the world-renowned Nobu restaurant. Keeping in line with his success in the food industry, DeNiro has opened his latest and greatest, Ago Ristorante. Ago strays far from Nobu and offers up traditional Italian dishes instead of innovative Asian fusion.

It seems that DeNiro has gone with something closer to his roots. The terra cotta floor, dark wood tables and kitchen replete with a wood-burning pizza oven scream Northern Italy. Rustic wooden chairs and glass chandeliers add an upscale Tuscan feel to the space. But the piece de resistance is the ceiling, which has been covered with over 90,000 wine corks and will definitely have diners looking up. Dinners are served by candle light and a fireplace in the back adds romance and warmth. All in all, DeNiro seems to know his décor (or some good interior designers).

The cuisine here is moderately priced and fitting for the area. Executive chef Mirco del Vecchio, who recently came from Italy to work at Ago, creates Pastas are obviously the star of the menu and fetch an average price of $25. The pizza list is lengthy and includes the signature Prosciutto di Parma and the quintessential pizza Margherita. Of course, entrées include Florentine-style bistecca alla fiorentina, veal, swordfish and salmon. All of these amazing meals can be washed down with a bounty of wines from the exhaustive wine list.

Expect this restaurant to develop a lengthy waiting list, in part thanks to its affiliation with DeNiro. The crowd will tend towards suits and creative-yet-wealthy TriBeCa types. During the TriBeCa Film Fest (April 23 – May 4), Ago will certainly be full of visiting celebs and plenty of wannabes, so book now to get a table.