Westville, a fast-casual restaurant, is opening an LIC location at The Cove at the end of the year

Oct 18, 2024 By Shane O’Brien

Fast-casual restaurant chain Westville is expected to open a new location in Long Island City by the end of 2024.

Westville, which currently operates eight locations in Brooklyn and Manhattan, will open its first Queens location by the end of the year in The Cove, an 18-story building that opened in 2020 at 43-12 Hunter St. in Court Square .

The Cove (NYC HPD)

The new LIC location will initially open for delivery only before introducing full dine-in service in mid-January, Westville founder Jay Strauss said.

Founded in 2003, Westville offers a wide variety of brunch, lunch and dinner options and is known for its monthly specials and dishes featuring fresh market vegetables, including yuca fries, parmesan asparagus, honey Dijon Brussels sprouts and garlic mashed potatoes.

Westville also offers a wide selection of salads, sandwiches, burgers and plates, each consisting of one protein and served with a combination of market vegetables.

The restaurant’s brunch menu, available Saturdays and Sundays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., features a selection of classic brunch specialties, including avocado toast, waffles, steak and eggs, and a California-inspired Egg Benedict.

Strauss said each of the eight existing Westville locations is nearly identical and customers can expect a similar experience once the Long Island City location opens later in the year.

Photo Instagram @westvillenyc

He added that the food at the Long Island City location will be exactly the same as the existing Westville locations and said he hopes the new restaurant will become a new neighborhood favorite for locals looking for a regular spot .

“This will be their neighborhood spot,” Strauss said. “This is a place you would return to. This is not a destination restaurant that you will visit every two months.

“This is a neighborhood restaurant. There is such a variety of food that people can eat here every day if they want. Just look at the menu. You will see that there is something for each meal that may be very different from your last meal.”

Strauss said each of Westville’s eight locations makes a point of being involved in their local communities by partnering with schools or arts organizations or donating food to local events. For example, the Williamsburg location in Westville regularly hosts a puppet show for younger members of the local community.

Strauss plans to repeat this social commitment at the new LIC location.

“When we have 100 of them one day, I hope we can maintain the feeling that they are neighborhood restaurants, and we really try to carry that feeling from one place to the next.”

Strauss said he “can’t wait” to open the new Long Island City location after Westville purchased the space about seven months ago. Once fully opened, the restaurant will seat up to 60 guests, and Strauss plans to introduce outdoor dining later in 2025 during warmer weather.

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