Italian restaurant Malavita is opening in Greenpoint, according to a liquor license application. The restaurant is set to open on 614 Manhattan Ave.
Owner Keith Pulitano is a longtime Greenpoint resident, having lived within a 10-minute walk from the location for the last 15 years. For the majority of that time, Chef Suchanan Aksomnan’s Baoburg occupied the space, which closed in 2024. “I didn’t plan or think I’d ever be able to open something up in Greenpoint,” Pulitano told What Now New York. “But the space and opportunity presented itself and I took it.”
Pulitano owns several businesses. He owns Magazzino, a wine shop in Two Bridges. He also owns two businesses in San Juan, Puerto Rico: a wine bar called El Vino Crudo and an Italian sandwich place called Malavita.
While Malavita in Greenpoint will offer some Italian sandwiches for lunch service, it’s a distinct restaurant from the San Juan sandwich shop. The upcoming Malavita will offer regional Italian pastas and proteins.
Pulitano’s intention for the restaurant is illustrated in its design: dimly lit, black marble countertops, accents of red to draw the eye. Although the restaurant has some nods to the past, such as its vintage sconces and Venetian plaster, the place has a distinctly modern feel, “a glimpse into the future of what it means to be an Italian American in New York City,” Pulitano says. “I want it to function as a casual place to have lunch or a place to go on a date.”
Pulitano is aiming to open his doors in early March, putting the final touches on the restaurant. “There are so many things I’m excited for, but overall, I’m excited to provide a space for my neighborhood to come hang out,” he says.
