The 2018 Great Neighborhood Stores are:
The seven Great Neighborhood stores are
- Big Time Produce, 1361 Forest Ave.
- Everything Goes Book Café, 208 Bay St.
- Jimmy Max, 280 Watchogue Rd.
- Leo’s Deli, 1153 Forest Ave.
- Pastosa Ravioli, 1076 Richmond Rd.
- Seaside Turkish Restaurant, 124 Ocean Ave.
- ShopRite, 985 Richmond Ave.
Seven stores were recognized at the January 30, 2018, Difference Makers certificate ceremony at St. John’s University, Staten Island. Click here for more photos and an article about the event.
The Graphic Arts & Advertising team, plus Elle VonRoth, their teacher, at the back left.
Leo Balaj, Leo's Deli, and his family.
Click here for the list of all of the nominated businesses and comments from the customers who recommended them.
The Nominations, Fall 2017
SINFI and SIPCW asked Staten Islanders for the names of stores or restaurants with fresh produce, local ownership, healthy and tasty food, ethnic diversity and authenticity, and owners and managers who love their neighborhoods.
Seven stores were recognized at the January 30, 2018, Difference Makers certificate ceremony at St. John’s University, Staten Island. SINFI members evaluated all the nominees and selected the stores.
Student Input
As part of the St. John’s University Difference Makers program, students in Tottenville High School’s graphic design classes developed window decals.
One of the two Tottenville High School teams.
The second team with the window decal.
The decal:
Difference Makers is a college-readiness program that teaches high school students about providing service to the community and helps them to achieve their required service hours for high school graduation. Difference Makers is led by Dr. William Reisel, professor of management at St. John’s University.
Students and friends of the Center for Intercultural Advancement at Wagner College translated the online surveys into Spanish, Russian, and Chinese. See http://surveymonkey.com/r/shopsinfi if you'd like to see the surveys.
The Nominations & Comments
| What is the restaurant's or store's name? | Where is it located? What are the intersecting streets? | Why do you like this store or restaurant? |
|---|---|---|
| 120 Bay Cafe | 120 Bay St. near Slosson Terrace | Very good food, often innovative, Bohemian atmosphere |
| A&C Superette | 876 Manor Rd. | Excellent food and service. Food is always fresh and prepared daily. |
| Adobe Blues | 63 Lafayette Ave. | Great beer selection, wings, chimichanga. |
| Adobe Blues | 63 Lafayette Ave. | Love the atmosphere. |
| Adobe Blues | 63 Lafayette Ave. | Great local spot, good service. |
| Applebee's | Richmond Ave. | I like the food and the drinks. |
| Applebee's | Richmond Ave | |
| Applebee's | New Dorp Lane | Because the food is good. |
| Applebee's | ||
| Applebee's | Richmond Ave | Hamburgers, potatoes |
| Avocado Sushi | 4906 Arthur Kill Road between Richmond Valley Rd and South Bridge Street, Tottenville | Nutritionally tasty food in aesthetially pleasing setting. |
| Bagel Depot | 3854 Richmond Ave., Mosley Ave. | Great food.
|
| Basilio Inn | Ganesvort & Sand Lane | Uses fresh veggies and fruits from garden. Classic Italian food. |
| Baya Bar | 6833 Amboy Rd. | It has healthy food that tastes good. |
| Bayou | 1072 Bay St. | I love their Cajun cuisine, absolutely delicious. |
| Beso | 11 Schuyler St. | The food is wonderful and authentic, yet inventive. |
| Beso | 11 Schuyler St. | Fantastic food. |
| Beso | St. George | Food is delicious and atmosphere is great!! |
| Beso | 11 Schuyler St., Richmond Terrace, down by courts | Delicious Spanish food in a warm and cozy space. Love this place!! |
| Beso | 11 Schuyler Street | Excellent tapas and sangria; warm atmosphere; casual, attractive setting; owner is a local and all staff are very friendly and helpful. |
| Best Coffee Shop | Wright St. and Canal St. | They have the best breakfast sandwiches and are very nice to everyone. |
| Better Gourmet Health Kitchen | Victory Blvd. | Vegetarian selection. |
| Better Gourmet Health Kitchen | 400 Forest Ave. | I like this store because they have good healthy food. |
| Big Time Produce | 1361 Forest Ave. | Always fresh and reasonable prices.
|
| Big Time Produce | 1361 Forest Ave. | Las frutas y verduras son frescas y el lugar esta limpio. (The fruit and vegetables are fresh and the place is clean.) |
| Bin 5 | 1233 Bay St. | The food is well prepared and the menu changes frequently with imaginative dishes. Good service. |
| Blue | 1115 Richmond Terrace | Convenient. |
| Blue | 115 Richmond Terrace | I like the service and the food. |
| Brothers Pizza | Forest Ave. | Amazing pizza and stromboli. |
| Bruno | Forest Ave. | |
| Burger King | Forest Ave. | Children friendly. |
| Cafe Luna | Hylan Blvd./Quintard St. | Food is consistently well-prepared. Favorite: Grilled calamari over arugula salad. |
| Call It a Wrap | 1198 Forest Ave. | Their food is always fresh, hot, and tasty. They use real fruit in their drinks and smoothies. |
| Call It a Wrap | 1198 Forest Ave. | The food is always healthy ad they use real fruit and vegetables. |
| Call It a Wrap | 1198 Forest Ave. | They always use fresh fruits and vegetables in their main courses. |
| Call It a Wrap | 1198 Forest Ave. | The food is excellent and always fresh and nutritious. |
| Call It a Wrap | 1198 Forest Ave. | The owner is a caring person. She donates sandwiches and fruit to the disabled. |
| Campo Bello | Broad St. | Because it has my favorite Spanish foods. |
| Campo Bello | Tompkins Ave. and Broad St. | Best Dominican food in Staten Island. |
| Charmar Superette | Wall St. and Stuyvesant Place | Best ciders and craft beers. Also has veggies!
|
| Charmar Superette | Wall St. and Stuyvesant Place | Fresh veggies and my fave hot sauce. |
| Craft House | 60 Van Duzer St. | Great BBQ and Allagash. |
| Craft House | 60 Van Duzer St. | A hot place to be with a great assortment of drinks and mouth-watering food. I love it. |
| Craft House | 60 Van Duzer St. | My favorite beer is available in a pitcher. The brisket is amazing. |
| Cuesta | Port Richmond Ave. and Harrison St. | Vegetales y fruta fresca. |
| Dana & Farh Corporation | 2722 Richmond Terrace off of Simonson. | Mike's a good guy. |
| Dazzle Gourmet Bagels and Deli | Brandis Ave. and Gurley Ave. | The store manager was very friendly when we moved to area and often has our Saturday morning breakfast ready before we get there. |
| Duzer's Local Cafe | Van Duzer and Beach | Great vibe, nice staff. |
| Duzer's Local Cafe | Van Duzer and Beach | Great vibe! |
| Duzer's Local Cafe | 387 Van Duzer St. | Great coffee, perfect for neighborhood and great vibes. |
| Duzer's Local Cafe | Van Duzer and Beach | Fresh, friendly local cafe. |
| Duzer's Local Cafe | Van Duzer and Beach | Friendly baristas, interesting organic and gourmet food for sale, great atmosphere. |
| Duzer's Local Cafe | 387 Van Duzer st | It's clean - yummy pastries - delicious coffees & soups - the place has an amazing Vibe!!! |
| El Patron | 520 Bay St. | Because they have nice quesadillas y big nachos |
| El Patron | 520 Bay St. | Great Mexican food |
| ETG Book Cafe | 208 Bay St. | They have so much! Fresh hummus with fresh carrots, brown rice with kale carrots and cabbage. Lemon mustard on tahini and teas and banana smoothies.
|
| ETG Book Cafe | 208 Bay St. | Soups, sandwiches, salads, fair trade coffee, Earth conscious and peaceful place to be!
|
| ETG Book Cafe | 208 Bay St. | Just AWESOME! |
| ETG Book Cafe | 208 Bay St. | Clean, safe, healthy, respectful, peaceful, environmentally and socially conscious. |
| ETG Book Cafe | Little Bay and Bay. | It is fresh and awesome. |
| ETG Book Cafe | 208 Bay St. | It's clean, safe, socially & environmentally conscious and serves fair trade coffee and healthy food. |
| ETG Book Cafe | 208 Bay St. | Green food, great people, great entertainment. It is a sanctuary. |
| ETG Book Cafe | 208 Bay St. | They have great choices! ETG Bowl with Tuna, Banana Smoothie with Spirulina, Homemade Hummus with Carrots, Teas!! |
| ETG Book Cafe | 208 Bay St. | This community cafe practices conscious, environmental and socially responsible in their everyday practice while feeding us wholesome food. |
| ETG Book Cafe | 208 Bay St. | The food is healthy and delicious!! |
| ETG Book Cafe | 208 Bay St. | Great food, music, atmosphere, staff, books. It's like going back to the 60's. Very cool. |
| ETG Book Cafe | 208 Bay St. | The cafe advocates sustainability. |
| ETG Book Cafe | 208 Bay St. | The fresh vegetables and soups and sandwiches are healthy and delicious! |
| Family Fruit | Hylan Blvd. | The prices are great and the food is great. |
| Food Universe | Tompkins Ave. and Greenfield Ave. | Great fruit and vegetables.
|
| Fuel Fever | 114 Hylan Blvd. | Healthy, quick delivery |
| Genki Sushi | 262 Arden Ave. | Nice staff. Good and fresh food. |
| Gerardi's Farmers Market | Richmond Terrace | Always fresh and great variety. |
| Gerardi's Farmers Market | Richmond Terr and Franklin | Very fresh, from Jersey often, excellent quality fruits, vegies, wonderful plants and shrubs. |
| Gerardi's Marketplace | 561 Richmond Terrace between Franklin and Lafayette | Friendly and supportive staff with good values in fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, it is not open year-round. |
| Golden's Deli | Richmond Ave. | Good food--great pickles. |
| Goodfellas | Victory Blvd. | Great food, nice prices. |
| Heidi's Deli | Lafayette Ave. and Henderson Ave. | It's very friendly. Fresh products. Great people work there. Regular friendly neighborhood store. |
| Ho'Brah Taco Joint | Forest Ave. and Sharon Ave. | Authentic Mexi-Cali cuisine. Fresh ingredients. Awesome and friendly staff. |
| Ho'Brah Taco Joint | Forest Ave. and Sharon Ave. | Love Mexican food. Salsa fresh. |
| Ho'Brah Taco Joint | Forest Ave. | Porque la comida es fresca y de muy buena calidad (Because the food is fresh and of very good quality) |
| Ihop | 935 Richmond Ave. | |
| Island Roti Shop | 65 Victory Blvd. | Makes one of my favorite snacks--beef rotis. |
| Jamdung | 1310 Forest Ave. | Authentic Jamaican restaurant, great atmosphere |
| JCC's Cafe: B&Y Catering | JCC, 1466 Manor Rd. | There are programs all day here and it's always a good thing to bring fruits to people. Availability of fresh and exotic fruit and veg for fair price.
|
| Jimmy Max | Watchogue Rd. and Wooley | Excellent food and service. Very friendly atmosphere. |
| Jody's Club Forest | Forest Ave. near Sharon Ave. | The food is delicious and great selection of daily specials.The owner and staff are welcoming and make you feel at home. |
| Joe & Pat's | 1758 Victory Blvd. | Delicious food, great pizza |
| Juquilita Laundry & Deli Corp. | Broadway and Cary | Porque encuentro casas Mexicanas (Because I find Mexican homes) |
| Key Food | Bay St. | Service. |
| La Piazza | Richmond Ave. | Cheap and good. |
| Lanka Grocery | Cebra and Victory | Rice flour, many types of fresh fruits and vegetables, friendly and knowledgeable staff. |
| Leo's Deli | 1153 Forest, Dubois. | Authentic Eastern European food, wonderful owner. |
| Los Potrillos | Port Richmond Ave. | Authentic Mexican food, with great vegetable and vegetarian dishes. |
| Maizal | 940 Bay Street | Love their homemade, freshly made guacamole--it is absolutely delicious. |
| Maizal | 940 Bay Street | Great food. |
| Maizal | Bay St. | |
| Marie's 2 | 5 Hyatt St | Very fresh, generous servings, nice bistro atmosphere, amazing desserts and they deliver |
| Marina Cafe | Mansion Ave. | Everything. |
| Met Foods | 1795 Victory Blvd | Fresh vegetables, good fruits, large selection, well displayed. |
| Met Foods | 1795 Victory Blvd | Beautiful produce section, clean, organized, great management. |
| Mezcal's | Bradley Ave. and Victory Blvd. | Food is delicious and sangria is good! :^) |
| Mezcal's | Bradley Ave. | |
| Mike's Unicorn Diner | 2944 Victory Blvd. | Close to my home by walking. Good, clean, and nice. |
| Mikey's | Tottenville, Amboy Rd. | Delicious soft bagels and quick service. |
| Milk and Things | Forest Ave. between Elizabeth and Broadway | The deli clerks are very nice and polite and the food is fresh every day. |
| Molo | 987 Bay St. | Great food. |
| Noodlefan | 1809 Victory Blvd. | Great vegetarian options! |
| Oaxaca Pizzeria Deli & Taqueria | Castleton Ave. y Taylor St. | |
| On Your Mark Cafe | 639 Forest Ave. | Delicious, healthy food and works with developmentally disabled individuals.
|
| O'Neill's | Forest Ave. | Ireland feeling and the Irish food is delish! Great staff. |
| Panera Bread | 2965 Veteran's Rd. W. | They have good healthy food. But I like the grilled cheese and the mac and cheese. |
| Pastosa's | Richmond Rd. near Targee St. | Always fresh food and a wide variety. |
| Paulie's and Errigo's | 500 Bay St. | Food is excellent. Grows his own herbs. Beautiful interior and garden in back. |
| Pepperjack Grill | Manor Rd. | Food. |
| Perkins | Forest Ave. | The food is great and the women there as well. |
| Pho Mac | Richmond Ave. | Delicious food. |
| Pier 76 | 76 bay Street | Incredible salads and thin crust pizzas. |
| Pizza Plaza | 70 New Dorp Plaza | Porque hacen buena comida. (Because they make good food.) |
| Real Madrid | 2075 Forest Ave. | Mariscos (seafood) |
| Real Madrid | 2075 Forest Ave. | Service. |
| Rinconcito Paisa | 1976 Forest Ave | La comida es fresca (The food is fresh) |
| Rinconcito Paisa | 1976 Forest Ave | Por su comida (For their food) |
| Rinconcito Paisa | 1976 Forest Ave | Because they have excellent meat and rice platanos. |
| Rinconcito Paisa | 1976 Forest Ave | The food is delicious Colombian food. |
| Royal Crown | Old Town Rd. and Hylan Blvd. | Big sandwich. Chocolate bread. |
| San Miguel Restaurant | Cary Ave. and Clove Rd. | Because they make fresh tortillas |
| San Rasa | 226 Bay Street | Real cooking, good ingredients |
| Sapporo | Richmond Ave. and Victory | Excellent sushi and Thai Asian dishes |
| Seaside Turkish Restaurant | 124 Ocean Ave. | The food tastes good. |
| Shop and Eat Halal | 1686 Forest Avenue | They serve the best middle eastern food on the North Shore. Always delicious and fresh. |
| Shoprite | Goethals Rd. | It has things people like. |
| Shoprite | Goethals Rd. | It has lots of stuff you need. |
| Shoprite | Forest Ave. and Richmond Ave. | Great, friendly professional service |
| Shoprite | Richmond Ave. | Porque encuentro de todo (Because I can find everything) |
| St. George Greenmarket | St. Marks Place and Fort Place | Products |
| St. George Greenmarket | St. Marks Place and Fort Place | Fresh veggies and eggs, also fish. |
| Stone House Restaurant | Clove Lake Park | The food and selection. |
| Stop & Shop | Richmond Ave. | Price is better.  |
| Stop & Shop | Richmond Ave. near SI Expressway | Great, friendly professional service. |
| Stop & Shop | Richmond Ave. and Lamberts | Has variety. |
| Stop & Shop | Forest Ave. | Me gusto porque encuentro todo lo que necesito y esta cerca de casa. (I like it because I find everything I need and it is close to home.) |
| Stop & Shop | Forest Ave. | Porque encuentro lo que necesito. (Because I find what I need.) |
| TGIF | Richmond Ave. | Tasty meals. |
| The Hop Shoppe | 372 Van Duzer St. | Interesting food choices, especially the General Tso's cauliflower! |
| Tienda Frutas y Abarrotes Mexico | 54 Victory Blvd. | Porque vende frutas frescas y verduras (Because you sell fresh fruit and vegetables)
|
| Top Tomato | Victory Blvd. | Price is better. |
| Trader Joe's | 2385 Richmond Ave. | Good organic products. No GMO. |
| Trader Joe's | Richmond Ave. and Nome Ave. | REAL FOOD! Cheerful, ALWAYS friendly, food samples. |
| Trader Joe's | Richmond Ave. and Nome Ave. | Always friendly, new foods to try, tastings. |
| Trader Joe's | Richmond Ave. and Nome Ave. | New tastings all the time. Sells REAL FOOD. |
| Vida | Van Duzer and Beach | Fresh food, produce bought locally, interesting dishes. |
| Vida | Van Duzer Street | Vida offers the best food, hands down, in all of Staten Island, eclectic and first-class all the way. In addition, the atmosphere is relaxing, with great music choices that don't intrude on conversation. If I don't go to Vida, I go somewhere in Manhattan, |
| Waterfall | 2012 Victory Blvd. | Empty and excellent. |
| Wazobia | Bay St. | Nigerian food with many vegetarian dishes on the menu. |
| Wendy's | Forest Ave. | Bacon cheeseburgers. |
| Western Beef | Bay St. | The vegetables are fresh. Bought collard greens--nice green and leafy |
| Western Beef | Forest Ave. | Price is better. |
| Z-One | Richmond Ave. | Because they have delicious food! |
| Z-One | Richmond Ave. | |
