June 6, 2017 By Christian Murray
A new coffee/sandwich shop opened on Queens Boulevard two weeks ago in the location that once housed the Meat Boutique.
The shop, called Brookside Market, is located at 43-15 Queens Blvd. and is owned by Paul Longo, who co-owns Ida’s Nearabout, a bar that opened next door last year.
Brookside is still in its soft-opening phase, Longo said, adding that he has yet to start offering sandwiches, juices and smoothies.
He said the focus has primarily been on coffee and pastries to date.
“We’ve really just been honing in on our coffee and pastry program so far,” Longo said.
He said his staff has been undergoing training with Brookside’s coffee provider Stumptown Coffee that has involved several classes. He said that he has also been working with Amy’s Bread, the Long Island City-based provider of the shop’s pastries.
Longo anticipates that he will start offering juices and smoothies this weekend. “We will have 10 made-to-order juices and about four or five smoothies to start,” Longo said. He said the smoothies will range from chocolate to banana to peanut butter.
“We want to start small and go from there,” he said.
Longo plans to start offering sandwiches in about two weeks. “We plan to do about six or seven hot sandwiches and about six or seven cold sandwiches.”
Hot sandwiches will include classics such as a Meatball Parmesan hero to the more obscure such as an Irish-breakfast style item. He said cold sandwiches will include items such as a tuna salad, chicken club sandwich, to a roasted red pepper prosciutto and mozzarella cheese item.
“We don’t want the menu to be too big since,” he said. “We want to make sure we are offering quality sandwiches and then can get the customers out the door,” he said.
He said Brookside is geared toward grab-and-go food for people on their way to work or coming home.
He said that there will pre-packaged items made fresh each morning and that customers will also have the option to get items made to order.
The shop open is currently operating from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm each day. However, once he starts offering the sandwiches and smoothies those hours are likely to extended, from 6:30 am through 9:00 pm.
The shop has a limited number of seats. However, there is a rear yard that Longo plans to open in two weeks.
He plans on having a grand opening after July 4 once everything has been rolled out.
Longo, who lives in Greenpoint, said that he got the idea to open the shop while constructing Ida’s Nearabout last summer.
“I’m a coffee shop guy and I realized that one didn’t exist in the general vicinity of Ida’s,” he said.
Longo said he named the shop after his family’s farm stand in Woodbridge, Connecticut. The stand, called Brookside Market, has been in his family since the 1940s.
The store logo is a picture of a Brook trout, since he is an avid fly fisherman.
“I come from a farm boy, country background so I’m excited to bring some of that here.”
(L-R) Paul Longo and brother Brandon Longo
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35 Comments
Uh work…what’s wrong with working for a living and to get ahead?
How did these young guys get so much money to open 2 stores?
Congrats on the opening. Not really what the neighborhood needs (organic produce market or another decent restaurant/take out option or an actually good Mexican restaurant?) there are smoothies a block away, same sandwiches at NY Eats and already enough coffee shops.
Plus people are cheap in the area, the same way Williamsburger couldn’t make it with $14 burgers I can’t see this sandwich configuration being all that popular. But I wish them the best of luck.
I hope people who want coffee and a pastry before work but here as opposed to buying the inferior stuff the pushcart’s sell. Businesses like this are important; they pay property tax, they employ local residents, and they maintain cleanliness in and around their establishment. (look at the filthy sidewalks in front of the taco trucks and see if they have any plans on cleaning it, or will they drive away and leave the big grease spot behind?) My only concern is that many people will carry their coffee onto the 7 train and spill it.
Tried it today $3 for a regular small coffee!!!!! I agree I don’t think it will last this isn’t Brooklyn guys! And how long before the guitar gets stolen? I can see if your in the middle of Montana but on Queens Blvd????
Very uncomfortable seats too.
All the haters in these comments, I’m glad you won’t be patronizing this place. Now I know where to go when I don’t want to interact with cretins.
🙂
What about New York Style Eats, diner style menu, they’ve been going strong in Sunnyside for almost 20 years, who said Sunnyside doesn’t have any good sandwiches around, open your eyes….?. Can’t beat the diner coffee, beats Stabucks & Dublin D’s hands down.
Thank u South! They already condemn before they even try. I actually looked in before they opened and one of the owners invited me in to look around which I thought was incredibly nice. When I saw that they were going to be serving Stumptown Coffee before they even opened I knew it was going to be nice. And Amy’s even better! Some of you need to get out of Sunnyside more often. Alpha has good donuts, Paris Baquette I can get decaf anytime of day and has great pastries, I don’t like Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks maybe some of you do.There is room for everyone, try to be a little more open!
Fake name.
Come to Jackson Heights! We don’t have much only Espresso 77
“coffee and pastry program”
LOL
But seriously, I hope they succeed. Sunnyside lacks quality sandwiches.
That quote was definitely pretentious…geez
Not the neighborhood for this.. Won’t be around after a year or so…
Hey, neighborhoods change, including this one…
And good luck!
Please don’t ever offer wifi. Moochers will lounge around and take up space all day.
Try it before you knock it, Sunnyside.
I’ve been in for coffee multiple times since they’ve opened their doors. Excited to hear that they will be expanding the menu sooner rather than later. I was surprised that they opened with such an initially limited menu, but it’s good to open your doors. The interior is very well designed, which is something that deserves recognition. They have punch-cards for frequent visitors.
The coffee is great – especially by Sunnyside standards. I know this thread could be inundated with people advocating for Baruir or Alpha Donuts (or whatever it’s called) coffee over any new business/competitor – but I’m very excited that I can go into a well designed café and get a cold brew, nitro coffee, espresso etc.
If nothing else, try the “vegetable scone” – it’s a spicy, veg. filled, slightly cheesy (?) biscuit-like scone.
Congrats !
lmao
This place is awesome! Looks cool, love the spinning vinyl touch and the antique knick-knacks and since Im a guitar player, i love that you have a Martin guitar just sitting there.
This kind of place is so good for the neighborhood, cafe with coffee and sandwiches. Just can relax and eat and watch the vinyl spin.
Good luck to you guys!
Blondie was influenced by rap when she was rhyming on Rapture. That was released several years after hiphop was first formed…
Yeah, but most of us ignored hip hop until real musicians like Blondie came along and did it right. For it to be considered music (and not just a novelty,) it needed more than scratching and a human beatbox.
please be quiet. Blondie didn’t do anything “right”. All she did was take the rhymes and not do anything for the culture. Can’t stand you jo’s who think you know something about something when you clearly do not.
Feel free to believe in the revisionist history if it makes you feel better. I was there when it all was happening and I watched as actual musicians took the raw ingredients, added a melody and some real musical talent.Up until then, hip hop was marginalized and compartmentalized. After Blondie came the Beastie Boys, then Marshall Mathers, Macklemore, etc. Today, Iggy Azalea is at the top of the heap. I know, you clearly can’t stand it!
Good luck to these young gentlemen with their small business! I’m personally happy to have a good spot for quick cup of yummy coffee outside of some bigger chains on Queens blvd.
How are they planning on using the back yard because the community board banned Ida’s and the bar next to them from using it? There’s only one way in and out and if a fire breaks out that’s it!
Isn’t that cute. I feel like I’m in greenpoint. All that’s missing is the sewage plant and massive underground oil spill
bahahahahah brilliant.
Excellent news! Looks Fab. Best of luck. (Any news on the pizza place in the old Venturo?)
“I’m a coffee shop guy and I realized that one didn’t exist in the general vicinity of Ida’s,”
I guess if you don’t count Caffe Bene which is literally a block away.
lmao, yeah I was thinking the same thing and how about dunkin donuts across the street and how about the 7/11 on 43rd street…Best of luck but this business wont last
If you consider Dunkin Donuts and 7/11 legit coffee shops – that’s your first problem.
dunkin’ donuts and 7/11 for real coffee? ha ha ha ha ha ha! keep doing what you’re doing, i’m sure this place doesn’t want your business anyways.
You two above honestly believe this place is gonna be packed w/ patrons sitting down sipping on coffee during the weekday, especially during the morning commute?? NOPE…it’s gonna be in and out like Bene, DND, and all the other places people pop in for coffee. I’m thinking that’s what they might have be trying to convey. But, since you guys seem to be connoisseurs of good taste…
Hey idiot, there are a shit ton of people who actually enjoy having a non-chain coffee shop in their neighborhood, and Stumptown is fucking delicious,