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
