Angelo's Little Italy in Amityville closes
Angelo's Little Italy in Amityville has closed after just two years. Credit: Newsday/Scott Vogel
In 2023, Angelo’s Little Italy — a sibling of the Mulberry Street original — opened its Amityville location to much fanfare. After all, Angelo’s of Mulberry Street had been one of Manhattan’s Italian mainstays for over 100 years. Now, after just two years, the Suffolk restaurant has shuttered.
Tina Aprea, who ran the Mulberry Street spot with her family for over five decades, was following in the footsteps of her late father, Giovanni, in Amityville. He started cooking in the Mulberry Street kitchen after coming over from Naples in 1965, and just a few years later, he owned the restaurant. A 2018 fire, followed by the pandemic, created insurmountable challenges for the historic restaurant, which permanently closed its doors in 2020. Amityville has now suffered a similar fate.
The location, however, will get another chance at greatness. Park Avenue Grill, an Amityville staple for breakfast and lunch, located across the street from Angelo’s, has taken over the space. Erin Bevilacqua, who runs Park Avenue Grill with her husband, Alex Gonzalez, confirmed the changeover, saying: "My husband and I have been looking for another opportunity for over 20 years. I’m bringing everything we’ve learned over 40 years in this industry to this."
The new restaurant will be called The Grand Lobby Kitchen and Cocktails, as the eatery is in the lobby of the apartment building that sits above it. A face-lift will "change the '80s Italian decor to a more American, eclectic feel," Bevilacqua said. Expect lots of woodwork, as woodworking is Gonzalez’s craft.
When the couple revamped Park Avenue Grill in 2018, they added more gluten-free and dairy-free dishes to their menu, such as vegan pancakes made with almond flour. Moving entirely away from the Italian concept of Angelo’s, The Grand Lobby’s menu will also be more focused on healthy eating, with an expansion of lunch and dinner offerings, as well as more opportunities for private parties and events. The Grand Lobby anticipates opening before Thanksgiving.
Reached for comment, Aprea wished the new owners well, adding that the new restaurant "will be a great addition to the community."
The Grand Lobby Kitchen and Cocktails, 221 Broadway, Amityville, 631-598-4618
A global freelancer who has checked her suitcase to raise her young daughter on her native Long Island, Marie Elena will always make time for good mezcal, even better tacos and killer conversation. Preferably, in a corner bar seat. She can be found on Instagram at @mariesworldeats.
