72 THE QUEENS COURIER • NOVEMBER 14, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
dining out
Sac’s Place reopens at Kaufman
BY JESSICA MILITELLO
For fans of Sac’s Place, an
Italian restaurant that’s been
a cornerstone of the Astoria
community for 30 years, it
was a long summer. Earlier
this year, the neighborhood
was abuzz with the news that
the beloved restaurant was
closing its Broadway location
in June. But the sad news
quickly turned into anticipation
as Sac’s prepped to
reopen at its new spot.
Now, the wait is over:
In mid-September, Sac’s
Place held its grand opening
at its brand-new 35th
Avenue home at the historic
Kaufman Astoria Studios
on 35th Avenue. Th e location
previously housed landmark
restaurant George’s (formerly
Astor Room), and in its
past life, the venue served
Hollywood royalty like silent
fi lm star Rudolph Valentino.
At the new location, owners
and brothers Domenico
and Anthony Sacramone will
continue to serve authentic Italian food
from their family’s recipes that date as far
back as the 1850s.
It seems only fi tting that the Sacramone
brothers found a new home in the
Kaufman building — a New York City
historical landmark — as Sac’s Place has
its own place in Astoria history. Plus,
Domenico and Anthony grew up just two
blocks away from where they would later
open the fi rst Sac’s Place on Broadway
and 29th Street.
Th e brothers’ love of food and wine
— as well as the warm atmosphere of an
Italian family they grew up in — inspired
them to try their hand in the restaurant
business, where they could share good
food and happy times with others.
“To me, it was just going to be a stepping
stone to something else,” Domenico
said. “But then I liked it; we liked meeting
and hanging out with new people.”
Sac’s started as a small corner location
before they eventually bought the
space next door and expanded. Th ey
also opened a second location in Jackson
Heights to spread more of their delicious
recipes throughout Queens. But when
their landlord for their fl agship restaurant
passed away in 2016, the building
was sold to a new landlord and the environment
just didn’t feel the same for the
brothers.
Th e old location was signifi cant to the
brothers as it was so close to their childhood
home, but the new spot has its
perks, too: “We’re in the middle of this
area that Kaufman Arts have built and
we can expand with our older customers
as well as the newer ones,” Domenico
said. “I really feel we’re in the middle of
a developing hub on 35th Avenue and
we’re really happy this became a new
home.”
Th e location may be new, but the signature
Sac’s Place
3511 35th Ave., Astoria (Entrance
by Kaufman security booth)
718-204-5002
sacsplace.com
@sacsplace
ingredients that Sac’s is known
for have remained the same. Sac’s menu
is full of high-end, quality ingredients
and packed with family heritage — aft er
all, the brothers learned everything they
know about great food from their mother’s
recipes.
“It’s always been farm to table; we just
didn’t know how to promote it in the
past,” Domenico said. “My parents used
to grow the spices when we were growing
up, and then we made an affi liation with
a neighborhood farm in Pennsylvania
called Heckman Orchards and we get
everything from them.”
With carefully made dishes and top
ingredients, it’s diffi cult for customers
to pick a favorite dish; customers love
their pizza, but patrons should defi nitely
not skip out on their homemade pastas,
like their ravioli and manicotti, as well as
their gnocchi made in a delightfully fresh
and delicious four-cheese sauce. Th e
chicken Napolitano, made with mozzarella
and eggplant in a white wine sauce,
is also popular. At a place like Sac’s, every
dish is worth a try and it’s easy to see and
taste the intricate care placed in the creation
of each dish.
“Th e one thing we’re most proud of is
that people who have been coming to
us for 30 years say what they love most
is that what they had 30 years ago still
tastes the same today,” Domenico said,
“and I think that’s the highest compliment
we can get.”
Photo by Image Taker Studios
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