SOPHIA ROSENBAUM
Phillie’s Pizzeria II is hoping to add some outdoor seating to its Middle Village location for customers to enjoy a slice out in the sun.
The pizzeria is slated to present an application to the Department of Consumer Affairs at Community Board 5’s monthly meeting that would establish an outdoor sidewalk café along the 74th Street side of the restaurant.
Sal Gallina, who co-owns the pizzeria with his brother Phil, said the addition would allow Phillie’s customers to choose to eat outside and wouldn’t affect pedestrians walking on the sidewalk.
But the plans for the outdoor café are at a standstill until Community Board 5 approves Gallina’s application, although Gallina thinks he has a good chance.
“CB 5 is on my side,” said Gallina, 39. “I have a good relationship with them and [the outdoor seating area]’s not going to bother anyone.”
Right now, Phillie’s can seat 70 people in its dining area and enclosed café.
The Gallina brothers have already worked with an architect to figure out the best location for the expansion, which will include four tables and eight to 12 chairs.
“It’s just something that I wanted to do to accommodate my customers,” Gallina said. “The more I can do for them, the better it is.”
Gallina said the outdoor café will cost a few thousand dollars with most of the expenses going toward the licensing and permit fees. He has already paid $3,000 in paperwork fees alone.
If all goes well at the board meeting, Gallina said, he hopes to open the outdoor café by the end of spring. Since the expansion is so small, he will not need to hire another waiter to service the extra tables.
Gallina said he is all about providing his customers with the best experience possible.
“People are always looking to sit outside in the summertime,” he said. “So we figured, why not let them sit outside and enjoy a nice day with a good slice of pizza?”
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