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Fans of the instantly popular Flora’s Pizza Cafe in Syosset will have cause for celebration this spring with the opening of their newest location, Flora’s Wine Bar & Restaurant, in Port Washington.
Flora’s, owned by the husband-and-wife team Ervis and Gabriella Xhelaj, both hailing from Italy, was founded in 2023 and offers a menu featuring pizza, pasta, and other authentic Italian dishes. [Read more about the original location here.]
After captivating the public with their culinary delights, they began receiving requests to expand.
“Our friends from Roslyn would make the trip to Syosset but kept asking for a place west of Glen Cove Road,” said Ervis, who previously worked as a chef at Felice in Roslyn.
Responding to the demand, they are opening their next venture in April at 172 Main Street, the heart of downtown Port Washington.
What can patrons expect at Flora’s Wine Bar?
In an interview with Ervis and Gabriella, they described the new restaurant as a space that will primarily focus on Italian wines paired with the dishes that have made Flora’s locally famous.
Think of it as an Italian osteria with a Long Island sensibility, serving up crostini, artisan-sourced charcuterie platters for sharing, addictive arancini, fried artichokes, and a fresh spin on the pizzas Flora’s is renowned for.
Additionally, the chef plans to continue the beloved tradition of crafting fresh, handmade pastas (such as the cacao tagliatelle with veal ragu and 24-month aged Parmigiano or the tonnarelli cacio e pepe) that initially sparked the craze in Syosset.
And let’s not overlook its identity as a wine bar!
Ervis and Gabriella have handpicked each wine on the menu to evoke memories of the beautiful life they enjoyed in Italy.
“During one of our trips to Italy, we had the privilege of touring a few vineyards focused on producing natural and biodynamic wines,” said Ervis. “After learning about the vineyards’ commitment to the natural cycles of the environment and producing in harmony with them, we always talked about opening a restaurant featuring these wines.”
They will be offering the stunning skin-contact Sicilian orange wine, Pithos by Cos, along with velvety Piedmontese Barolos, Veneto Amarones, a beautiful Lambrusco from Emilia-Romagna, as well as the best selections from Tuscany. California will also be represented with carefully curated Cabernets and Chardonnays.
The vibe: Grab a glass of something delicious, linger at the bar or counter, then find a table and relish in the very best lovingly prepared Italian cuisine Flora’s has to offer.
The hours: They expect the hours of operation to be 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. daily.
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Top: Flora’s owners Ervis and Gabriella Xhelaj with their children Luna, Leon and Louie. (Courtesy photo)
