Sept. 22, 2015 By Jackie Strawbridge
The longstanding Bel Aire Diner is jumping on Astoria’s outdoor seating trend.
The diner, located at 21st Street and Broadway, was approved by Community Board 1 on Monday to serve customers at eight outdoor tables with 16 seats. These tables will be lined up on Broadway adjacent to the diner.
Sidewalk seating has become popular among Astoria’s restaurants and coffee shops, noticeably along 30th Avenue. However they are not typical of diners, according to CB 1, which approves outdoor café applications.
“It is a novel application. I’ve never heard of a diner having an unenclosed sidewalk café,” CB 1 Consumer Affairs chair Joe Risi said. “Not that it’s a bad thing.”
“We just want to change it up a little,” owner Patricia Dellaportas said. “Times are changing – everybody has outdoor seating.”
Dellaportas owns the Bel Aire with her husband Archie, who has been interested in opening outdoor seating for years, she said. Now that their kids are older and help run the diner, they have made it a priority.
“During the week, when it’s nice out, it’s harder to get people to come inside –everybody wants to be outside and eat,” she added. “So I think it’ll work.”
The Bel Aire Diner is open 24/7, but the outdoor seating area would be open from roughly 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., a manager said.
Broadway: where outdoor seats will go
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14 Comments
They should provide vomit bags with each order.
Wait until LIC high school let’s out. They have the worst food what happened to people’s pallets my god…It like eat school lunch with a comfort factor (gravy) yuk close this dinner I will rather eat out of their garbage bins
Just what I want with my meal: a lungful of car exhaust coming off 21st street, not to mention the loud noise.
Great Idea. The Belaire staff is the most friendly around and I love the open air concept
I’m not sure you could pay me to eat on the sidewalk right there. I live a block away – why would you want a front row street to a busy intersection with 21st Ave, a bus stop, and a gas station?
I generally prefer to NOT have a side of exhaust with my pancakes.
I don’t understand for all those negative comments to that diner with axcellent food and reasonable prices.
I believe with the side walk the area would look better.
Astoria is changing regardless if some people they won back to 1960.
No more homes for 45 K .
Haha. Sorry about the spell check error. “Wishing you all the best, and many people would live an outdoor seat on a lovely day. ” ??
Such negative comments. I truly wish the diner the beat of success in its outdoor endeavors. I’m sure that many people will be more than happy to have a nice outdoor seat icon a beautiful fall day. For those who don’t the inside is still there. All the best.
My post got cutoff, but I’m still saying forget street side seating, too much soot and traffic. Instead finish the rooftop and add a bar up there. That would be an attraction, and has built in parking for evening fun.
Honestly worst place possible for outdoor street level seating, butttttttt a rooftop bar with food there would be pretty cool. Affordable beers, maybe live music, and has ample parking built in….
The view of 21st street will be stunning and jaw dropping from where the outdoor seating will be.
the view of 21st street is stunning from the area they want to put outdoor seating.
I’d prefer if they focused on serving better quality food that’s more aligned with the prices they charge.
Can’t compete with Lite Bites or Igloo