Coming To 85 Driggs Avenue: Donia Cafe

My buddy over at Brooklyn Imbecile beat me to the punch on this one. He writes:

Back in early February, I posted an item wondering what was going down at Greenpoint’s least consistently open cafe on the corner of Driggs Avenue & Monitor Street.  There have been power tools going and lights on inside ever since and now we know that yet another cafe is, “Opening Soon”.   Donia sounds Italian to me, like a form of Donna.  I wouldn’t get your hopes up. They may be “Opening Soon”, but based on this location’s past, it may be closing soon, too.

Methinks Donia will be Middle Eastern fare. Here’s why:

  1. The permits issued for this property.
  2. I have found no liquor license applications for this property whatsoever. Muslims disdain serving spirits (which is understandable given their beliefs).
  3. The Greenpoint Law of (over)Abundance: we have a falafel/kebab cart on Noble Street, Mediterranean Shawarma and God Bless Deli on Manhattan Avenue both; Kestane Kebab on Nassau Avenue and Bagels On The Run, once again on Manhattan Avenue. The latter-most is renovating and will be serving Gyro goodness.

It is only natural that Donia Cafe will be a Middle Eastern restaurant. Not that I am complaining, mind you. My falafels are exploding with delight!

Donia Cafe
85 Driggs Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11222

In any case I suspect the Brooklyn Imbecile and I agree that we hope this place sticks.*

Miss Heather

*If it is Italian, I buy. It if is Middle Eastern the Imbecile buys! F*ck it, I’ll buy either way.

Comments

5 Comments on Coming To 85 Driggs Avenue: Donia Cafe

  1. Tony From Kent Street on Thu, 1st Apr 2010 6:48 am
  2. I really hope this place does not become another Middle Eastern mystery meat noshery. I’m seriously done with fast food disguised as ethnic food. You’d think if you were against serving alcohol, you would also be against having dozens of bodegas filled with beer, cigarettes, lottery and pornography, but hey, to each is own and their hypocritical religious beliefs. Good morning!

  3. gata on Thu, 1st Apr 2010 7:20 am
  4. Hello,

    The new cafe will be Middle Eastern, and the owners run a bodega opposite the elementary school (Driggs). They are a Kurdish family with roots in Turkey. Looks like Imbecile is buyin’!

  5. susyblue on Thu, 1st Apr 2010 7:51 am
  6. It is indeed going to be Middle Eastern (Turkish, I believe). It is being renovated and operated by the family that owns the bodega nearby on Driggs. The inside looks amazing compared to the what it used to be like.

  7. aakarras on Fri, 25th Jun 2010 11:23 am
  8. What the hell are you all going on about? i can assure you all that you have got it all completely wrong….the theme will be lovely mediteranian style….it is NOT “Halal”…there will be pork dishes sold at the restaurant…check the alchohol licence request again….its on the way!!!!! After reading your coments all i can say…PATHETIC…the team that have been hired to launch the place are going to do the best they can to ensure the area has a great place for people to hang out and eat, have a few drinks…it is a shame that “some people cant show a bit of support to make somewhere in there area a success rather than a dive as it has been seen in the past…it really saddens me to see your small minded comments..its a shame!

  9. danieldantastic on Wed, 11th Aug 2010 9:05 pm
  10. It’s opening this weekend!

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