Photo Courtesy of Soleluna
Oct. 29, 2016 Staff Report
The leaves are changing, and so are the seating options and menu items at Soleluna, an Italian restaurant on 40-15 Queens Blvd. that opened its doors in May of 2015.
The restaurant, owned and operated by longtime Sunnyside resident Valerio Marchi, his wife Michele, and his two sisters Gina and Francesca, installed five outdoor tables and 10 seats which run alongside their 40th. St. exterior earlier this month.
Photo Courtesy of Soleluna
The owners originally brought their application for the outdoor cafe to Community Board 2 in early June. Although they received the board’s approval, the advisory nature of the Community Board’s decision meant that the restaurant still had to wait for to go-ahead from the Department of Consumer Affairs. Due to the delay, the owners couldn’t install the outdoor area for the Summer season as they had originally hoped. Nevertheless, Valerio said he is happy to have it available for fall and next spring.
“I think it will be nice. The weather will be brisk and refreshing for most of the season, and on Halloween, people can sit outside and look at all the different costumed children walk around the neighborhood to collect candies,” Marchi said.
In addition, Soleluna has updated its menu items and specials since their grand opening.
With oyster season in full swing, the restaurant now offers $1.25 Blue Point and $2.50 Kumamoto oysters every Monday after 4:00 pm.
“A lot of people like oysters, but some don’t know that there is a difference between them,” Valerio explained. “Kumamoto is the best oysters you can find, and are small, sweet oysters from the west coast. Blue Point oysters originate from the east coast, but both are received at Soleluna by Monday afternoon after they have been freshly delivered to the fish markets.”
Meanwhile, the Italian restaurant continues to serve its authentic homemade pastas with whole wheat and gluten free options. Their specials on meat and fish times differentiate every day, as well as a rotating list of homemade desserts.
Hours of operation are:
Monday to Friday – 8 am to 10 pm (open until 11 pm on Friday)
Saturday – 10 am to 11 pm
Sunday – 11 am to 10 pm
Soleluna’s brunch menu, that includes pancakes, poached eggs, rice balls, beef meatballs, salads and salads, are served during the following hours:
Saturday – 10 am to 4 pm
Sunday – 11 am to 4 pm
Reservations can be made on their website at http://solelunanyc.com, or by calling (929) 296-3942.
Brunch Menu (click to enlarge)
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Please note: Soleluna is an advertiser with the Sunnyside Post
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29 Comments
One of the most amazing restaurants in Queens. They are so nice, warm and friendly aways, we try and go there a few times a month.
been in the neighborhood before any hipsters (14 YRS). all of Sunnyside is residential, so you must be apposed to any outdoor seating anywhere. I love it, and love that it bothers you. think you need to move to a NJ suburb or Long island where there are no people you sad misanthropic prat.
that romanian restaurant and soleluna are terrible for wanting to shove seating outside. This is a residential area, people are trying to GO HOME after a long day of work and you got all these idiot hipsters thinking its cool to be outside eating like its fucking france or some shit. I personally love when my dog has to take a shit right in front of them.
Sunnyside pizza is #1
Long time Sunnysider here. would the nay sayers prefer the previous establishment at that location? Sole Luna is a Family Business. They are a success story. Their portions and food choices hail from the style from whence they originate. This is no advertisement. You want big portions, go to the Olive Garden, or McDonalds. Yes sometimes they are busy and attention to customers is not optimal. what a wonderful problem to welcome into our neighborhood. A restaurant that is so busy that its difficult sometimes to give proper attention. I’ll take it. and if you don’t believe me, trying getting a seat with out a wait on the weekends and some weeknights. The owner Shakes my hand, personally asks how every meal was. and I tell him if not up to par and he is interested. Blessed to have hardworking Family values working for something positive in our hood !!!
Hey Dazies, clean up that mess of real estate you own next door from your restaurant. Thank you, from the community.
As for Soleluna, they do some dishes well and some not so well. I have no problem with the staff or service. I eat there occasionally.
Dazies is the best restaurant in the neighborhood. Has been for a long time. Its not stuffy and as far as expensive, everywhere is expensive. I had a cheese burger deluxe at the nevada diner with a fountain soda and it was almost $18.00 and the burger was horrible. I feel dazie is in the same ball park as other similar restaurants. Parkside in corona, frost street in brooklyn, armondos in jackson heights (which wasnt good). Dazie has a piano player on weekends. Me personally,i like dazies better than soleluna.
Sole Luna is one of the best restaurants around here, Zio Pepe is great too. I never went to Dazies, it seems stuffy and expensive.
If soleluna was so good why are people commenting about dazies?
Dazies does need a visit to the 21st century. However it is still a nice place to eat. 45 years in business counts for something
Lily kept it awesome and then alive for all those years. Rip.
a Great Restaurant with up to date Italian Food unlike Dazies which is stuck in a time warp. Only the Old Farts and the Riff Raff eat there.
London lennies has oysters i believe $1 each every m-f 4-6pm
good luck to them with the outdoor seating but what they really need to do is bring back the high standard of service that they originally started out with. there are (2) sisters that work there and have zero personality. the one that works the bar,its insulting the drinks that she pores. staying away until i hear the service has improved
Too personal this comment!!
Such a bed comment!! What they did it to you??? If I go in 1 restaurant I can complain about 1 drink, the food, the service, even about the waitress/waiter!if she/he didn’t do a good job and treat me well, but what I care about the personality??? That means you know those girls and if you have some problem with them you could go personally and complain to them! But the restaurant?? It s my favourite restaurant in Sunnyside, everybody always nice and make me feel home! Food and service it’s always good! I have been in Italy twice and the food taste exactly like in Italy!! And if they now have the outdoor seating good for them… and also good for me!! It means I will enjoy better their food next summer!!
Is this a news story or an advertisement?
It’s an ad and if you don’t like it, the workers at Solelunatics will thumb you down
I love oysters.
Hey, let’s sit here in the cold and watch kids collect their candies at the ceviche restaurant across the street
“Halloween, people can sit outside and look at all the different costumed children walk around the neighborhood to collect candies”
And also the teenage punks throwing eggs at you
Place looks nice inside, outside looks foolish with that paint job but good luck with the outdoor seating. Dishes look good too
Comments are being thumbed down by the geniuses at Soleluna who thought this was the right time for introducing outdoor seating
Read the damn article and it’ll show you that they applied early for the seating but approval was delayed.
No, just by people who don’t care for neighborhood jackasses who erroneously think they’re being clever.
Who from sunnyside post gets a free meal for all the press this place gets over all the other restaurants in the neighborhood?
I have to say this restaurant is so completely over rated and over priced it goes to show how many people no nothing about what good food actually is.
Someone could open up a place selling pigeon crap and it would get rave reviews.
I heard how great this place was and finally tried it only to get what they call lasagna served in an onion soup bowl and have the owner ignore me for about 10 minutes and than finally give me a glass of wine that was about a 3 ounce pour and totally rape me on the price.
The air conditioning wasn’t even working on a 95 degree day mind you.
This place claims it’s Italian lolol I’ve had better at an Olive Garden.
Dazies should update their menu and follow this example. Great restaurant,tired menu
Just in time for the freezing cold weather.
Just in time for the leaves to fall into the food