Bayside‘s past and present collide at this fresh new beer garden and restaurant.
One Station Plaza, the neighborhood’s newest food destination, welcomed the community for a soft opening on July 12.
The former home to C.J. Sullivan’s American Grill, or “Sullivan’s,” which served customers for the final time on June 4, the space at 213-10 41st Ave. went through an intensive five-week overhaul. Owners and Queens natives John Ryan and Mark Boccia, who also own Bell Boulevard’s Bourbon Street and Kew Gardens’ Austin Ale House, began their careers in the restaurant industry at the space in the 1980s, when it was called One Station Plaza.
“We bussed tables, waited tables, John bartended, we helped out in the kitchen — anything we could do,” Boccia said.
“There’s a lot of history here,” Ryan said. “We sort of always had an affection and our eye out for it. We always said, maybe one day we’d come back.”
Drawing inspiration from the past, the new owners restored the former name. The eatery’s walls will also soon be adorned with old pictures of One Station Plaza and Bayside throughout the years, Boccia said.
“Our goal was to bring it back to the One Station Plaza look with a modern flair,” he continued.
In the coming days, the restaurant will roll out full service with the full dine-in menu. A grand opening will take place in a few weeks.
As far as food goes, Boccia described the selection as “a gastropub menu with a Hudson Valley feel,” including salads, wraps, paninis, cheese boards, oysters, and steaks and salmon entrees.
The beer garden section of the eatery will be operational 12 months of the year, according to Ryan. The circular outdoor bar features a large illuminated umbrella, allowing it to stay open even in inclement weather. And, in the colder months, the owners will enclose the space.
At the bar, customers can find a diverse selection of wine, beer, cocktails and, soon, a line of signature drinks. Sunday brunch is also in the works.
“We love Bayside, and we hope we can stay another 50 years,” Ryan said.
Check out the eatery on Facebook or contact them at 718-224-0060.
