+39 Italian Eatery closes in Great Neck
Hazelnut, vanilla and chocolate, and pistachio gelato at +39 Italian Eatery in Great Neck. Credit: Marisol Diaz-Gordon
Barely six months after opening at the corner of Middle Neck and Cutter Mill roads, +39 Italian Eatery has called it quits. Some of Long Island’s best gelato (churned right in front of customers) and genuine Pugliese focaccia weren’t, apparently, able to overcome the location. Over the last few years, it's been vacant more than it’s been occupied.
According to Erica De Vivo, whose husband, Lino, and brother-in-law, Flavio, ran the place, the shop just wasn’t busy enough to cover its expenses.
This casual cafe-gelateria-pizzeria was the offspring of La Nonna Bella, the Italian restaurant that opened in Garden City in 2010. Initially it focused on breakfast, pastries gelato, sandwiches, pizza and snacks but, about two months ago, the menu expanded to include some of La Nonna Bella’s pastas. (Some of these items are now available at the new Sansone Market in Garden City Park.)
+39 took over the space that housed the short-lived Great Neck Gourmet Deli. The deli succeeded Rimon, a short-lived kosher reboot of Sip City, the international small-plates restaurant that opened in 2010. Sip City was preceded by XO Bar & Restaurant, The Living Room, Sports Corner Café, Plaza Madrid and, back in the early ’90s, Mushrooms.
