More pizza is coming to Ditmars Blvd in Astoria

Walking along Ditmars Blvd in Astoria the other night, we came across an empty storefront at 36-08 Ditmars Blvd (GMAP – here’s the DOB site for this address) with a bunch of DOB work permits plastered on the window. Looks like a new pizzeria is coming to that spot, which happens to be less than a block from Alba’s Pizza, a neighborhood favorite. The job text is “Obtain interior renovation on 1st floor for new pizzeria establishment. Work to include new partions, commerial kitchen, plumbing work and interior finishes.”

Astorians muse regularly about what the “next big thing” will be in the neighborhood. Nail salons are never ending; sketchy massage parlors have cropped up in recent years, too (yes, they advertise on Backpage, and locals would be happy if those places would just stay in Manhattan). As for food, for a while it was Thai, and then sushi, so is pizza the next big thing?

Perhaps – in the past year we’ve seen Antika, (they are originally from Washington Heights), Basil Brick Oven, and Via Trenta all open up in Astoria. All of these establishments make delicious food, too. We’ll keep an eye on this place and let you know more as they get close to opening.

UPDATE (9/1/12)! There are more details about this coming pizzeria from Adam Kuban, founder of Slice (source: astorians.com)

I poked my head in today and saw they had a Stefano Ferrara wood oven all set up and looked pretty dang close to opening. The workers in there said “next month,” and @Astoriahaiku quoted them as saying 2 to 3 weeks. They’ve done a lot of work already. Did a good job of keeping this a secret.

A Stefano Ferrara oven doesn’t guarantee great pizza, but it’s considered the Cadillac of pizza ovens. Whoever is opening this place shows signs of wanting to do it right.