Mario Batali is one busy man, his three-starred Greenwich Village restaurant, Babbo, has just opened its doors for lunch. According to the rumor mill, Mario penned the top secret menu himself, making this venture a priority for his multitude of high-end Italian eateries. Today's service is the first public lunch Babbo has ever served in the restaurant's fourteen year history.

Boasting one of the most hard to obtain reservations in the entire city, Babbo’s premier lunch service will be walk-ins only. Those who aren’t lucky enough to attend today will be able to make a reservation soon. The daytime Babbo diners will enjoy steamed cockles, guinea hens, beef cheek raviolis, as well as a tasting menu option. The tasting menu is available for $49 per person with an additional $35 per person for wine pairings. The portions for lunch menu will be a bit smaller than during dinner service. The size of the portions for lunch has dictated the lower price many of the dishes on the menu, including Secondi course dishes.