Park Avenue Grill fans in Amityville are joyful this month, and it has nothing to do with the holidays. The restaurant’s long-awaited second venture, The Grand Lobby, has opened with a cozy interior, buzzy bar, kaleidoscopic murals and hands-on service.
Taking over the former Angelo’s Little Italy — a sibling of the Mulberry Street original that opened in 2023 and shuttered earlier this year — The Grand Lobby is just that, the lobby space anchoring the Broadway Plaza modern apartments in the heart of the village. The name is a nod to the old Amityville Theater, a previous tenant. Owner Erin Bevilacqua, who runs Park Avenue Grill with her husband, Alex Gonzalez, confirmed the changeover at the time of Angelo’s closing, telling Newsday: “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. We’re really excited.”
The Grand Lobby, a new restaurant from the owners of Park Avenue Grill in Amityville. Credit: Newsday/Marie Elena Martinez
Judging by the two-hour wait for a walk-in table on a recent Saturday evening, the couple has every reason to be. Long an Amityville staple for breakfast and lunch, the Park Avenue Grill has a wide selection of vegan and gluten-free options. The Grand Lobby takes over where it leaves off, with double the capacity (80), a larger kitchen and a private event space.
Chef Roberto Leon, whose resume includes Viaggio, Prime 39 and Brewology, turns out massive portions of colorful starters, like ahi tuna with wonton crisps ($18), a tower of ruby-red tuna, chartreuse avocado and a tumble of fruit — strawberries, blueberries, mangoes. Spanish octopus comes with nutty romesco, roasted red peppers, almonds and a cucumber relish ($25). There are crispy Brussels sprouts ($16), jumbo Bavarian pretzels ($14) served with cheese dip, French onion soup with brisket ($15), plus oysters, clams, charcuterie boards ($22-$25), and flatbreads, like the honey rose burrata loaded with prosciutto, sweet potato, hot honey and pistachios ($21).
For entrees, classic options include roasted half-chicken ($29), strip steak with truffle butter ($45) and salmon with sweet potato risotto ($36) alongside vegetarian cauliflower steak ($26), and more creative options, like grilled pineapple filled with shrimp and scallops in coconut sauce ($36). There are three burgers — chipotle BBQ, turkey and smash — an enormous French dip ($28) and a chicken sandwich. The restaurant plans to offer more of the vegetarian options that Park Avenue Grill has become known for.
The Grand Lobby, 221 Broadway, Amityville, 631-532-6398, thegrandlobby.net. Open Tuesday through Thursday 4 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 4 to 11 p.m., closed Monday.
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.