Bay Ridge’s Little Forno feels the love at ribbon-cutting

Family and friends of the newly opened Little Forno gathered on Wednesday, October 6 to cut the ribbon officially on the brand new eatery, which has already made waves in its hometown of Bay Ridge.

Little Forno – translating to “Little Oven” – opened late this summer at 276 Bay Ridge Avenue, where the beloved “Petit Oven” once stood. Hoping to pay homage to what was once there – while also honing in on the high-end French cuisine its owners have worked to perfect since being professionally trained in the Big Apple – Little Forno has already been on the receiving end of much fanfare.

For owners Chris Salmonese and Stephen Gonzalez, the restaurant’s concept was a no-brainer.

“Our goal is to bring what we’ve learned in the city to Bay Ridge, and make it more approachable and more affordable,” said Salmonese, adding that since opening in late August, the response has been “incredible.”

“We want to stick out,” he said, stressing that, though he and Gonzalez come from Italian families, “We didn’t want to be your average Brooklyn spaghetti-and-meatball restaurant. Sure, we love spaghetti and meatballs, but we want to do something different.”

“Response has been great,” both agreed at the ribbon cutting, which saw the support of friends, family and neighborhood politicians. Assemblymember Pamela Harris sent Little Forno a citation while State Senator Marty Golden sent a representative in his place to congratulate the team in person.

Since opening, the duo has introduced a Wednesday night dinner special. They also promise to change the menu seasonally and have already tried their hand at Bay Ridge traditions like the fan-favorite Third Avenue Festival.

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