soups, grilled dishes and pastries
like baklava.
Outdoor dining is available in
the “private and quiet” garden in
the back of the restaurant featuring
wood flooring and walls, an awning
and planters. Employees are required
to wear masks and the restaurant
is operating at 50 percent
capacity to keep customers and staff
safe, the co-owner said. Staff members
are using disposable menus
and single-use plates and utensils
wherever possible.
Il Bambino
34-08 31st Ave., Astoria
ilbambinonyc.com
Il Bambino has made some changes
as of late — customers now order
“picnic” style without servers and
the popular brunch panini is available
every day, not just on the weekends,
said owner Melanie Lawless.
Outdoor dining is still available in
the backyard with fewer tables to
meet social distancing guidelines —
but there’s additional seating under
the awning and more coming on the
street. Customers can either pick up
their food inside (with their masks
on) or Lawless will bring it over to
the table, depending on how busy
she is.
“The people that come in here,
they’re so amazing, so patient, so understanding,”
Lawless said. “We love
our customers.”
Although the staff is minimal for
now, one bonus is that her husband,
28 JULY 2 0 2 0
the chef and owner, is now handling
food prep himself.
“I feel like it’s even better than it was
because he makes it,” Lawless said.
The menu is smaller than usual,
but they’re rotating favorites like the
chicken mozzarella with spicy mayo
and the ginger braised pork, and
hours are limited.
Maiella
4610 Center Blvd., LIC
maiellalic.com
This five-year-old Italian restaurant
offers modern, fresh fare overlooking
the East River near the iconic Long Island
City Pepsi-Cola sign. Briskin, the
owner of Maiella and American Brass,
FOOD + DRINKS
Photos courtesy of Darren Lawless
Photos by Giuseppe
Photos by Michael Martikainen Agostino
/ilbambinonyc.com
/maiellalic.com
