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More room, more options — and the same favorite flavors.
The team behind the popular Park Avenue Grill in Amityville is set to open a second restaurant on Thursday, Dec. 4.
The new spot, called The Grand Lobby, gives customers a bigger dining room and a larger kitchen built for more creativity.
“My wife Erin and I have owned Park Avenue for nearly 21 years now, and the biggest problem has always been the limited amount of room we’ve had,” said owner Alex Gonzalez. “It’s not the ideal situation for a restaurant to turn large parties away, so that’s why we decided to open up this place less than two blocks away.”
The Grand Lobby moves into the former home of Angelo’s of Little Italy, an offshoot of the historic Manhattan restaurant. Its name pays homage to the old Amityville Theater — the space once served as the theater’s lobby.
Seating has doubled from 40 at Park Avenue Grill to about 80 diners at The Grand Lobby, located at 221 Broadway.
There’s also a private event room, making larger gatherings possible for the first time.
The expanded kitchen is another game-changer.
“This one is huge and is chef-designed, so now we can try so many more things because we have the space to hold everything,” Gonzalez said. “If we had four soups we were choosing from at Park Avenue, we could only make one. Here, we can make all four.”
Gonzalez describes the menu as American fusion, similar to the original location.
“It’s so culturally diverse, it gives something to everybody,” he said. “Whether it was Mexican or Italian or anything else, all the specials that worked so well at Park Avenue Grill will all be available all the time here at The Grand Lobby, in addition to all the regular favorites.”
Their popular gluten-free options are also coming along.
“People from all over come for that special menu,” he said. “Now we can do it even bigger here. That’s so important for us and our customers.”
Even with the upgrades, Gonzalez said prices will stay grounded.
“We don’t want to be ridiculously expensive in any way,” he said. “Listen, we will have a tomahawk steak on the menu, which will obviously be pricier than other things if you want to spend, but there will be something for everybody.”
The Grand Lobby will open for dinner seven days a week, with lunch and brunch to follow.
Top: Restaurateur Alex Gonzalez and his wife, Erin, are getting ready for their closeup at The Grand Lobby. (Credit: Andrew Rappaport)
