Troy L. Milliron 
Astoria’s family-run Italian restaurant, Nino’s AQ, refreshed its outdoor dining space this summer, bringing the Amalfi Coast village of Positano to Queens.
In partnership with Malfy Gin, Nino’s AQ has added seasonal dishes and cocktails and transformed its outdoor dining space into a lemony Italian oasis.
The pop-up will also feature live music programs every weekend throughout the summer. The outdoor terrace will include 16 picnic tables and cabanas. Amalfi’s famous citrus fruits have been incorporated throughout the space, with yellow tables, Malfy umbrellas, lemony landscaping reminiscent of lemon trees and trellises native to the region in Italy, and festive staff uniforms.
“We are thrilled to bring the Amalfi Coast to Queens with this fun refreshment from our outdoor patio for the summer,” said Michael Vendome, co-owner of Nino’s AQ. “With the full experience, including decor, drinks and food, you’ll forget for a moment that you’re in New York and not vacationing in southern Italy.”
The restaurant’s menu, curated by executive chef and co-owner Franco Vendôme, has expanded to include several handmade pastas, including southern Italian classics such as mafaldine clams, black squid ink frutti di mare and spaghetti alla nerano. Plus, a plethora of gluten-free pastas and wood-fired pizzas will be available.
A special cocktail menu for the Positano pop-up has also been created by Michael Vendome and his team, in collaboration with Malfy Gin. The menu consists of Amalfi spritz, a refreshing spritz for the summer; limoncello martini, a sweet sip of citrus; la signora, a fruity and floral aperitif; and negroni bianco, an Italian version of the classic cocktail.
Nino’s AQ has also teamed up with Ciao and Cello for a new twist on the traditional paint and sip. Guests can learn how to make authentic homemade limoncello, an Italian lemon liqueur produced primarily around the Amalfi Coast, throughout August. The two-hour guided experience will include a signature limoncello cocktail, served with delicious Italian bites. Plus, attendees will be able to customize their own glass bottle of liquor and take it home at the end.
Michael and Franco Vendome are second-generation restaurateurs who have operated and owned restaurants since their beginnings at their family’s first Nino’s restaurant in Midtown Manhattan, Nino’s 46. They opened Nino’s AQ in 2018 and Nino’s Beach in Port Washington last spring. .
Nino’s AQ is located at 35-01 Ditmars Blvd. in Astoria and is open for dinner weekdays from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. and 5 p.m. to midnight on weekends.
For more information and to make a reservation at Nino’s AQ, visit ninosaq.com or call them at 718-777-0010.
