West Hempstead Locals Open Allegro Bar & Grille to Meet Needs of the Neighborhood
The owners of Allegro Bar & Grille saw an opportunity at 157 Hempstead Avenue, a spot previously known for nightclubs and dance halls and in 2011 was the scene of a serious blaze. The long-time West Hempstead residents looked at what was going on in the surrounding area and thought the time was ripe for things to move forward on the restaurant front. Fittingly, Allegro in musical terms means to move forward, briskly.
Development in the area – like the proposed $200 million mixed-use project near the LIRR station – will soon bring in even more clientele who will want a place to have a drink, a bite to eat, and watch a game. Frankie Delorenzo, who has a knack for the restaurant business, is a consultant at Allegro Bar & Grille, and recognized a distinct need to be filled in the area, one that would only increase with a sudden influx of renters.
“Places like Farmingdale, they keep building on top of each other with more restaurants and bars,” Delorenzo said in a phone interview with LongIslandRestaurants.com. “But there was nowhere like that here.”
It’s a family business. Delorenzo’s father, Micheal, and brother-in-law, Daniel Santana, are both partners in the place with Delorenzo acting as an advisor. They took the unit and completely renovated and updated it inside and out.
“We ripped the whole place apart,” said Delorenzo.
The result is a space that can seat 65 with about 20-25 of those in half booths around the dining area and the rest are a mix of high and low top tables. There is a bar with seating for about ten and 11 flat screen televisions all around to watch the game. They also installed a small lounge area for people to relax on couches and play tabletop games like Jenga and Connect Four. There’s also a foosball table.
But the pièce de résistance of Allegro is something they’ve been garnering a reputation for: one of the largest varieties of espresso martinis around. Their martinis can be served individually or you can order a ‘tini tree, which is like a flight of a few of their espresso martini choices in a tree-like holder.
“You get three of the same or each completely different espresso martinis fully decorated,” said Delorenzo. “Each with its own flair.”
The menu is also unique, offering Italian fusion on old favorites like the Italian Egg Roll, which is an egg roll wrapper with broccoli rabe, sausage, and Italian peppers inside. Or the Empanada Calzone, which is a traditional calzone with an empanada outside. The menu is bar food-esque, according to Delorenzo, with burgers and paninis on the menu. They also have a delicious-sounding donut stuffed with Nutella for dessert.
It’s a place where you can expect to come to watch your favorite sporting event and chill with friends. They plan to host watch parties for the Super Bowl and the World Cup.
“I describe it as an upscale Italian sports bar,” said Delorenzo. “It has the same feel as a typical sports bar but in more of a refined space.”
Allegro Bar & Grille is open seven days a week with happy hour from 4-7pm weekdays featuring $5 select draft beers, $10 appetizers, and a $20 burger and a beer offering. On ‘Tini Tuesdays they have BOGO deals on their famous espresso martinis. On Wine Wednesdays all glasses of wine and sangria are $5, and if you’re in the mood for a bottle, it’s half off. And for Thursday night football, for $20 you get an appetizer of your choice and $1 Miller Lite drafts throughout the game.
Allegro Bar & Grille dropped into the neighborhood to fill a niche, according to Delorenzo, who has lived in West Hempstead for over 20 years.
“There’s nothing like that in the area and only limited options to go for a bite to eat and a drink,” he said. “There’s really been nothing like it in all my years of living here.”
Where: Allegro Bar & Grille, 157 Hempstead Avenue, West Hempstead, (516) 549-3033, Allegrobar.com.
For more photos of Allegro Bar & Grille scroll down. Photos: Frankie Delorenzo.
