Defonte’s of Brooklyn is so beloved that even people who’ve sworn off gluten routinely pledge allegiance to the place and its sesame-seeded “thirds.” In general, it seems as though the forces of New York real estate have been working against spots like the 92-year-old Red Hook shop — see Café Edison, Benny’s Burritos, and Di Robertis Caffé — which is why the news of the sandwich shop’s Staten Island expansion is particularly welcome. Nicky Defonte says he’s been working on the new establishment for six months, which roughly coincides with the untimely closing of his Manhattan outpost, at 95 Water Street in Stapleton, and it’s great news for people who still believe in the integrity of quality eggplant parms. “Everything is exactly the same as the Brooklyn store,” the proprietor tells DNAinfo.
[DNAinfo]
