Long Island City, Restaurants
Jun 13, 2016

LIC Food News, June 2016

Some updates from the world of food in Long Island City, including restaurant openings and closings.

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There are some great blogs covering regularly the community of Long Island City, most notably LIC Talk and the Court Square Blog. Lately, I’ve been focusing on Astoria-centric news, but last week I spent some time revisiting and reading these LIC blogs, and was delighted to see the reporting on a good handful of new spots opening in the neighborhood, so I wanted to share the news with you.

Additionally, I had dinner with friends the other night—who have vast palates and try all sorts of restaurants in town, regularly—and they highly recommended two newcomers to the neighborhood: Tutti Matti and BIA. BIA is right near the Court Square subway station at 23-10 Jackson Avenue. My friends loved the food and cocktails and remarked on the reasonable prices. Tutti Matti (47-30 Vernon Blvd) is, as we understand, essentially Testaccio under new management, serving pizza and pasta and great drinks. One thing that caught my eye on their website is the $1 oysters for happy hour Thursday-Sunday from 5pm-closing.

Chipotle

On the ground floor of a tall apartment building at 26-14 Jackson Avenue, and right up the street from SculptureCenter, a Chipotle will be opening. Sounds like the construction is scheduled to be completed by the end of summer and perhaps the Chipotle will open in the fall. I checked the NY Chipotle jobs page and there’s nothing listed for LIC yet, so there’s really no clear timing on it all. What I do know is that their arrival will make a lot of people happy. (Source: Court Square Blog)

Ice Cream Rumor

Word on the street is that the old Delta Force Army & Navy space at 49-10 Vernon Blvd will become an ice cream shop. Hopefully they can stay in business, because even some of the best ice cream in NYC (read: Malu) couldn’t make it because of economic woes and nearby construction limiting access. (Source: LIC Talk)

Levante

This will be a restaurant/lounge combo from the folks at Luzzo’s in the East Village, located at 26-21 Jackson Avenue. It will be “pizza-centric” in 950-square-feet, including an outdoor space. (Source: The Real Deal)

Sapps

This is a new Japanese restaurant from Shih Lee, the force behind both SHI and Skinny’s Cantina, and will open up at 27-26 Jackson Avenue, right next door to Dutch Kills Bar—which has its own good news of the M Wells folks cooking in their kitchen. “Sapps” is apparently what Lee called the restaurant Sapporo East (now Beron Beron), where he ate at growing up (that restaurant’s chef, Carlos Calle, will be at Sapps). Sapps will be 2,000 square feet in size.

He sees Sapps as being “different” and a “neighborhood place.” He also wants to pay respect to the area in the form of having 5 Pointz graffiti incorporated into the design. Sapps is slated to open in early 2017. (Source: Court Square Blog)

San Remo Pizza

This Vernon slice joint bites the dust. So long, mild-mannered pizza, and boy are we curious as to what will move in. (Source: LIC Post)

Starbucks

Noted as this chain’s first real location in LIC, a Starbucks has opened in the Marriott Courtyard at 29-15 Queens Plaza North, located across from Dutch Kills Green. (Source: LIC Talk)

Toby’s Estate

The Australian coffee roaster is opening their first Queens location at 26-25 Jackson Avenue. There will be 1,000 square feet of coffee retail goodness. Co-owner of Toby’s in NYC says, “We like Long Island City because it’s so close to the city and we really felt it was underserviced in the coffee market.” My bet is that Sweetleaf, The Local NY, Coffeed, The Mill, Birch, Etto Espresso, 51st Bakery, Sugarcube, Cannelle, Dunkin, and Starbucks might disagree. (Source: The Real Deal)

About Meg Cotner

Meg Cotner was trained as a harpsichordist and now works as a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of "Food Lovers' Guide to Queens," and is a skilled and avid home cook, baker, and preserver.

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