A Friday-night grease fire chased diners out of a landmark Hell’s Kitchen restaurant believed to be the city’s oldest family owned eatery.
The blaze broke out at about 6:20 p.m. inside Barbetta on West 46th Street near Eighth Avenue, where regulars include assorted boldface names from the worlds of politics, celebrity and fashion.
“The fire started in the grease in the ductwork and the grease in the kitchen,” said FDNY chief Dan Donoghue, who said the inferno took about 50 minutes to bring under control.
The restaurant — which opened in 1906 — will remain closed until the damage can be repaired, said owner Laura Maioglio.
“I was in the dining room when I heard the chef shouting ‘Fire, fire!’
“We immediately evacuated everyone,” said Maioglio. “It hits us at the busiest time of the year.”
Nobody was injured.