Sept 15, By Christian Murray
Bareburger–best known for its exotic patties and organic ingredients—is opening a restaurant in Long Island City, in the location that was once Cranky’s.
The restaurant is expected to open at 49-19 Vernon Boulevard in late December and is part of a major expansion the burger chain is currently undergoing, said Euripides Pelekanos, the chief executive and co-founder.
Bareburger, which opened its first restaurant on 31st Avenue in Astoria five years ago, has 20 restaurants open today—with eight more planned in the next five months.
The Vernon Boulevard location will be comprised of 42 seats, with plans to open a sidewalk café.
While many Bareburger restaurants are franchise operations, the Long Island City operation will be owned and run by the company, Pelekanos said.
“Long Island City and Astoria is like home territory to me and I have always felt embarrassed not having one here,” Pelekanos said.
“I’ve been looking for locations in Long Island City for 3 years and then I got a lead on this space and I couldn’t been happier.”
Pelekanos, who grew up in Astoria, opened his first restaurant just blocks away from where he lived.
The restaurant will be the fifth location in Queens—with 2 restaurants in Astoria, one in Forest Hills and another in Bayside, where Pelekanos currently resides.
Pelekanos attributes the success of the company to the people who work for it. “We have been blessed to have good people…people who really care about Bareburger and are proud of it.”
The new menu is now available in its Hoboken and Philadelphia operations and is being rolled out location by location.
It features elk, goat, bison, turkey and wild boar burgers—in addition to the all natural, organic beef product. (click for menu)
There is also a duck-bacon sandwich.
