May 3, 2015 By Christian Murray
An Italian restaurant will be opening on Queens Blvd. this week—where the New Post Coffee Shop was located for 50 years.
The restaurant, called Soleluna, is owned by three Italians, one of whom lives on the same 40th Street block as the 40-01 Queens Blvd establishment.
The two other owners are sisters who live in Astoria. They hail from the Italian-region Puglia.
“The restaurant is going to be a family affair,” said co-owner and manager Valerio Marchi, a 34-year-old from Milan, who lives on 40th Street with his wife and two children.
Marchi’s wife, Michele, a Venezuelan native, will be a bartender at the restaurant. Meanwhile, the sisters–Luigia and Francesca Mastrovito—will be working there full time, one as a chef and the other as a barista.
Marchi and his wife have lived in Sunnyside for more than a decade and are part of the fabric of the neighborhood. They have a 7-year-daughter who attends PS 150 and a 3-year-old daughter who will be going there soon.
“We love Sunnyside..the people are so friendly and everyone cares about each other,” Michele said.
Marchi had hoped to open the restaurant in February but the process took much longer than expected, he said, since the old coffee shop was in poorer condition than he had expected.
“We had to take out everything, the downstairs was a disaster…now everything is new,”
The restaurant has new floors and walls, as well as a new kitchen and bathroom. The owners have installed a new coffee station, pastry counter as well as a bar.
Marchi said the restaurant will open once they have taken care of the smaller items such as buying plates and glassware.
“We will open this week—any day from Wednesday to Saturday,” Marchi said.
The construction delays left the owners with little time to get the permits necessary to be able to set up sidewalk seating this year. However, their goal is to have it ready—on the 40th Street side of the restaurant– by spring 2016.
Soleluna, which means sun-moon in Italian, will open at 7 am on weekdays—offering coffee, pastries, bagels, croissants, eggs, pasta dishes, natural juices and many other items.
It will also offer paninis, soup and salads for lunch.
The dinner menu will include traditional meat, fish and pasta dishes, Marchi said. There will also be a vegan option.
The restaurant will also be offering small dishes, something people can nibble on while drinking their wine of cocktails.
From Sunday-Thursday the restaurant will be open until 10pm and on Fridays and Saturdays it will stay open until 11 pm.
Marchi said the restaurant is a good addition to the neighborhood. “It improves how the corner looks and it offers great food.”
For Soleluna on Facebook click here
Valerio and Michele
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32 Comments
Hope it is a success!! Outdoor seating would be awesome! Sunnyside is place to be!!
I hope they’ll have menu options that include pasta or tomato sauce.
Who cares about the stupid tasteless Irish shite they call breakfast . They call it pudding for God sake. Because it tastes like shite.
WHAT HAPPEN TO THE DINNER?THEY MADE BEST IRISH BREAKFEAST! WHO CARES ABOUT ITALIAN REASTURANT?
New Post was run down but man did they make a good huevos con chorizo.
This place definitely sounds better I guess. I hope they charge less than Manhattan prices.
One thing is sure, we do not need another bad Italian restaurant in Sunnyside. I hope they are good and in that case wish them good luck!
bagels and croissants, just like they serve the jersey tourists in little italy!
….Select all hamburgers. Sample image is on the right
i wonder if they were conned into spending all their money fixing up the landlord’s negligent mess?
or hopefully they got a good lawyer and they spend money on repairs in exchange for free of low cost rent for a year or two…
Just tired of seeing Mexicans, Albanians, Argentines, Middle Eastern types masquerading as Italians..Once upon a time there were many authentic Italian restaurants around but they seem to have vanished..
Will be nice that there is outdoor seating. Just hope all the people from Bucharest who need to smoke (anytime I pass by and they’re open there is someone outside smoking) aren’t blowing their smoke towards me as I’m trying to eat.
Being of non-Sicily descent I dont give a shit.
Not racism you bleeding heart liberal imbecile. The decent Mexicans can stay and the low class white people can go.
Being of Sicilian descent El loco is glad to see more Italians in Sunnyside.
Being on non-sicily descent I dont give a shit.
@El loco: Sicilian’s are not Italians.
Lovely couple hoping everything goes well. Bienvenidos. Amen
It will be closed in 6 months. The rent is astronomical. The menu is all over the place, since when are bagels and croissants Italian???
If your opening an Italian joint have an italian menu guys.
Real authentic Italians coming to Sunnyside. ..this is an amazing turn of events..i was beginning to think authentic Italians were on the endangered species list…Very rare to see a real Italian at a pizzeria or restaurant. …no offense to the imposters but there is nothing like the real thing
i dont think they are italian..
Thank goodness for the real Italians nevermind that they hire Mexicans to cut costs. Seth, do you know how anything works? You want “real” Italians then visit Italy where are no “imposters”.
except italy has their own version of “mexicans”: migrant workers from northern africa. they’re the ones doing the dishes and all the dirty work that italians don’t want to do. same as it is here.
Just like the irish were treated as slaves back in the day. Doing jobs the black people would do.
Excellent and Michelle is cute also. Hope these type of restaurants increase rents in the neighborhood. Get rid of the riff raft. Bring in some upscale people to Sunnyside.
Ah, nothing like thinly veiled racism.
Sounds great! Can’t wait to check it out.
Sounds like a wonderful addition to the neighborhood! I will look forward to supporting this new gem!
Best of luck
best of luck! i will be there.
Really excited for this place. Shame they didn’t get outdoor seating permits in time. That could be a huge blow. Sincerely hope I’m wrong.
Finally! A real European establishment! It’s great that Valerio and Michele will include outdoor seating. This new place sets the right example for this neighborhood in terms of style.
So happy to see a new Italian restaurant coming to town.
…Their offers sound really good and hope to see them soon
GOOD LUCK
cant wait to try this place … good luck and thank you for investing in a great hood.