June 7, 2013 By Bill Parry,
A restaurant specializing in gourmet wood-fired pizza is expected to open next week.
The restaurant, called Milkflower, will be located at 34-12 31st Ave., part of a burgeoning restaurant row.
Two brothers from Bergen County, NJ, have spent the last year transforming an old dry cleaning store into the trendy restaurant.
“It took so long [to do it] because we did all the work on the interior ourselves,” said Danny Aggelatos, one of the brothers. “Our sense of decor is a little different than most.”
The dining area includes hardwood floors and exposed brick walls with banquette seating for 30. A patio is being prepared for outdoor dining.
The pizza is prepared in a wood-burning brick oven heated to 800-degrees. The process creates a hearty and robust crust and special seasonal toppings will be available.
The mozzarella cheese is homemade and prepared daily using an old Sicilian process called fior di latte. It translates to milkflower, the name of the restaurant.
Diners will also find other items on the menu, including salads and appetizers as well as “Toast Plates” (bruschettas and crostinis). Vegan dishes and gluten free food are available as well.
Milkflower will have hand-selected craft beers and 10 different wines—once it gets its liquor license.
Danny and his brother Pete honed their culinary talents for a decade in an uncle’s restaurant in New Jersey before deciding to open one together. “Pete was living in Astoria for 7 years,” Danny said. “We saw the spot was available and we jumped at the chance to be part of a great community.”
The Aggelatos brothers look forward to their venture. “It’s our first business together,” said Danny, adding that “it’s been a dream of ours to own a place together.”
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