A Texas mother and her eight-year-old daughter have filed a lawsuit against Obica Mozzarella Bar in New York, claiming they cracked their teeth after biting into a sandwich allegedly containing a chunk of hard plastic. Stevie Bingham says the December 2023 incident, during what was meant to be a festive family holiday, has left her needing a permanent fake tooth and her daughter facing years of dental treatment, including a root canal. The case is notable given the restaurant's high-profile Madison Avenue location and its billionaire-adjacent ownership by an Italian industrial dynasty.

Bingham, 48, alleges her daughter began screaming after biting into the $19 sandwich, and that she then cracked her own front tooth after taking a bite herself. She claims the restaurant manager offered only "laughable" compensation and refused to cover dental costs, prompting the lawsuit, which accuses Obica of negligence and breach of warranty. The chain, which has more than 20 outlets worldwide, is owned by Paolo Scudieri, an Italian businessman worth an estimated $500 million; Obica has not responded to requests for comment.