FOOD + DRINK Vintage 20 JUNE 2 0 1 7 This new café by day and wine bar by night is perfectly named. When you walk into the modest space on 23-14 Ditmars Blvd. – formally home to Waltz Astoria – you are greeted with a nice outdoor patio with strings of lights overhead. Indoors is mostly furnished with wood, with old books and plants decorating the walls, giving the space a well-worn feel. The wine bar sits toward the back, and there are plenty of seating options. The space is used by locals who want to work from home and enjoy a quiet atmosphere with a cup of coffee and locally made pastries. Then in the evening, wine lovers gather to sample from the wide selection of reds, whites and rosés. “I love this area, so when the space became available, we jumped on it,” said owner Paul Serelis. Co-founder and head chef Matthew Olley also loves the location: “I know Paul really wanted to keep it in Astoria, and this is the perfect street for it. There aren’t many opportunities to go out in this neighborhood, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity.” When they first opened the spot on Feb. 13, it was solely a wine bar, but they’ve since expanded to serving food and coffee, and most recently, brunch on weekends. Since the beginning, they’ve featured two wines, always a pinot grigio, and a Tempranillo, as their “Wine of the Month” or “Charity Wines.” Thirty-three percent of the proceeds from these wines go to a local charity that changes monthly. In February, they benefited the local Public School 122, and for June, they’re hoping to partner with a charity for breast cancer awareness. In addition to the wines, there are a few local beers on tap, and they’re soon coming out with some soju-based cocktails. “I kind of want this to just be an everything spot,” Olley said. “You can get a cup of coffee, have lunch, you can bring your friends or business partner. We want this to be a hub where people can meet and grow the community more.” FOOD + DRINK Photos courtesy of Vintage Photo: Shutterstock
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