Long-awaited L&B Spumoni Gardens opens in DUMBO

From brooklyneagle.com

A new ‘Pizza Mecca’ in New York

After numerous bumps in the road, the Barbati family has opened the long-anticipated second location of Brooklyn’s legendary L&B Spumoni Gardens pizza restaurant — bringing an 80-year tradition to DUMBO.

The original L&B Spumoni Gardens, still going strong at 2725 86th St. in Gravesend, is the stuff of memories for residents who grew up in southern Brooklyn. The restaurant logo features a horse-drawn carriage, illustrating the original spumoni and pizza deliveries by founder Ludovico Barbati in 1939. On any given day, the Gravesend complex is packed with families and sports teams, many of them second- generation customers.

Construction work at the new outpost at 46 Old Fulton St. was ongoing for five years with little explanation from the management, causing many diehard fans many to anxiously question when the big day would finally arrive. As the Brooklyn Eagle reported in July, it’s been one issue after another with the NYC Department of Buildings since work on the restaurant portion of the structure began in 2019.

But that’s all behind us now, Charlie Cavallo, general manager of the DUMBO location, told the Eagle. “It takes a lot longer post-COVID for permits and approvals,” he explained.

The DUMBO location — with a counter serving delectable squares of Sicilian-style pizza and an attractive and comfortable dining room — held its soft opening last Sunday. Management will wait to get through the holidays before holding a grand opening, Cavallo said.

“We’re taking it easy and expanding the menu daily,” he said. For now, it’s dine-in or pick up only, but deliveries will be coming down the road.

As the Eagle spoke to Cavallo, a steady stream of locals stepped inside the restaurant and wished him and the crew congratulations on the opening.

“We are really, really excited to open,” he said. “We had the friendliest welcome from the neighbors yesterday, nice people strolling by with children and families.”

Seasoned chefs — and seasoned pans — are key

While the restaurant has installed banks of new pizza ovens, “We have the same 86th St. pizza chefs here, including Franco Meza, Spumoni Gardens’ long-time pizza chef,” Cavallo said. “Chef Salvatore Zapparata is working with Executive Chef Leonardo Kern from the 86th Street location, who oversees everything.

“The pizza here is exactly like the original location,” Cavallo said. “We proved the myth wrong — that older ovens make the best pizza. The pizza was good from day one!”

But he shared a secret: “The ovens are new — but we do have seasoned pans from the original location, and that’s the key.”

Cavallo also touted the dining room menu, where diners can sit down for a traditional Italian meal featuring favorites like pasta dishes and seafood.

What’s his own favorite?

“Linguine and clams, and ‘dueling shrimp,’ which are three fried shrimp and three cocktail shrimp on one platter,” he said. “And baked clams.”

A new ‘Pizza Mecca’ in New York

Cavallo said he wasn’t worried about the competition from nearby pizza restaurants— including the popular Grimaldi’s Pizzeria and Juliana’s, which sell traditional- style whole pizzas.

“We are known for Sicilian upside-down squares and our homemade spumoni ice cream,” he explained. “The more places open up in an area, the more people will come to the area. The best pizza in New York can be found right here in DUMBO. This is now going to be the pizza Mecca of New York!”

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L&B Spumoni Gardens will be open in DUMBO from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sunday through Friday for food service, and from 4 p.m. to close for wait service. On Saturday and Sunday, the restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. for full sit-down service. Beer and wine are available.