Astoria, Beer and Wine, Best Of Astoria, Brunch, Cocktails, Community, Food and Drink, Neighborhood, Restaurants Dec 18, 2019 10 Years in Astoria: DiWine This week we’re highlighting some of the amazing local businesses celebrating milestone anniversaries as 2019 comes to an end. Happy Astoria-versary! Yesterday was a fellow 10-year, and Monday was five years. (…) Share this Scoop by Claire Leaden total shares! Twitter Facebook Email Print This week we’re highlighting some of the amazing local businesses celebrating milestone anniversaries as 2019 comes to an end. Happy Astoria-versary! Yesterday was a fellow 10-year, and Monday was five years. (…) by Claire Leaden Share this Scoop total shares! Twitter Facebook Email Print Related scoops 10 Years in Astoria: Sweet Afton Lockwood is Expanding to Greenpoint! OPENINGS, CLOSINGS AND RUMORS – EARLY SPRING 2019 EDITION Courtesy DiWine. This week we’re highlighting some of the amazing local businesses celebrating milestone anniversaries as 2019 comes to an end. Happy Astoria-versary! Yesterday was a fellow 10-year, and Monday was five years. DiWine on 31st Ave is owned by local Astorian Ifeta Dzidzovic and her business partner Gigi Dzidzovic, who also owns the Gigi Styling Studio (which has been in the neighborhood for a whopping 16 years!). Ifeta and Gigi lived (and still live) in the neighborhood, and they were always keeping an eye out for what Astoria might be missing food-wise. At the time, wine bars were becoming really popular but Astoria didn’t have one to call its own yet. So, they decided to open one, pricing all wines the same so people wouldn’t have to worry about affordability. “That was a unique concept at the time,” Ifeta explained. “We also had a clear vision of what type of place we wanted—a welcoming atmosphere, a menu with broad appeal, and a creative cocktail program. Our menu was—and still is—inspired by Italian, French and American cuisine, and we were one of the first ‘craft cocktail’ bars in the area.” The cocktail program was just as important to them as the food and wine menu, which is now much more common. Ifeta admits that the neighborhood has become a lot more competitive over the years, which she attributes to the influx of 25 to 30-year-olds who moved here after the recession because of its affordability. “They brought a more vibrant feel to the area and were more demanding in the type of places they wanted, so now you see a little bit of everything in Astoria,” she explained. Courtesy DiWine. Ifeta credits the business’s success mainly to their consistency. Most of their team has been with them for a long time, some as many as nine years. And “regular” customers have been coming in since they began. When they first opened, they offered live music nights featuring local musicians, and one of those very performers has been playing there since 2009. Today they offer local live music on Thursday and Sunday nights and during Sunday brunch. They update their menu from time to time, but want to stay true to their original mission offering high-quality food and drink at affordable price points. Owner Ifeta Dzidzovic and beverage director Joao Beiler at the 10th anniversary party for DiWine. As for the future? Though Ifeta is looking forward to enjoying the restaurant while not running it one day, she mainly would like to see it “continue to be the welcoming gathering spot that we intended it to be when we opened, and have maintained to this day.” “It is a great sense of pride to enjoy such wonderful relationships with the people that work here and the people that support us—old friends and new. They are all more than employees and guests, they are family.” DiWine, 41-15 31st Ave, Astoria Twitter Facebook Email Print 2019anniversariesCommunityDiWinelocal business Related scoops 10 Years in Astoria: Sweet Afton Lockwood is Expanding to Greenpoint! OPENINGS, CLOSINGS AND RUMORS – EARLY SPRING 2019 EDITION Leave a Reply Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Email * Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.