STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A new Ukrainian restaurant called Queen Frog will soon bring Eastern European cuisine to Port Richmond, taking over a storefront with rich culinary roots already part of the history at 1566 Forest Ave.
Inside the long-time pork store and Italian specialty shop space, one can see the transformation underway into a full service restaurant. In former times, the service counter was to the right in this image. (Advance/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)
The restaurant will occupy space between Elite Barber Shop and smoke store in what was formerly home to Italo A&S Fine Foods, which has since relocated to West Brighton. Before that, the location housed Bruno’s A&S Pork Store.
Construction company owner Yuri Kratasyuk, who runs YK Mechanical, will own the new establishment and is personally handling the demolition and renovation work. His wife, who brings restaurant management experience from Ukraine, will operate the business.
Queen Frog plans to serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a menu featuring Eastern European specialties alongside American favorites like burgers, according to Kratasyuk. There will be no frog on the menu. Instead the name Queen Frog is intended to be a whimsical one. Fresh signage for the restaurant will be installed soon, said Kratasyuk.
The floor of the space still has A&S in the tiles to reflect the former days of A&S Pork Store. The new owner says he might keep the letters and perhaps add to it.(Advance/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)
The location carries significant food history in the community. Most recently, it housed Italo A&S Fine Foods, a butcher shop and Italian specialty store owned by Italo Perito and his son, Gerardo. The Perito family acquired the business in 2014 from Bruno Pica, who had established it as Bruno’s A&S Pork Store in the 1970s.
During both ownerships, the store was known for house-made mozzarella shaped into loaves and bocconcini, specialty sausages, and various prepared Italian dishes.
The A&S name itself has New York City history, originating with Anthony Schicchitano, who established a pork store in Park Slope. According to Pica, subsequent A&S locations were independently owned shops that used the name for brand recognition and buying power, with proprietors learning their craft directly from Schicchitano.
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Dining and Cooking