Bel Aire Restaurant and Diner, named "NYC's Best Diner" by the Daily News in 2005, has been a part of the Astoria landscape since 1965.
The restaurant and diner was purchased on March 23, 1997 by Argyris Dellaportas. It was not a popular place then, and needed repair and modernization. Dellaportas and his wife, Pat, saw potential and convinced a partner to invest with them. The partner was later bought out.
Today The Bel Aire Restaurant and Diner is a huge success for the young man who immigrated from the isle of Cephalania, Greece when he was just 17 years old.
Argyris Dellaportas arrived in New York City in 1961 and began learning the restaurant business "from the basement up". He started as a dishwasher in Manhattan, then had a restaurant with his brother Nick.
Argyris prides himself in personally working 'hands on" in all parts of the Bel Aire Restaurant. He fondly tells stories of how he baked in the restaurant's bakery in the hot basement during the early days of owning the business.
Modernizing an old diner was not enough. Argyris and Pat decided to physically expand it. They had the idea of making it larger; and, to make it look like a a retro diner from the 70's.
In 2007, Bel Aire Diner completed its renovation and opened as Bel Aire Restaurant and Diner. But, modernizing and expanding an old diner was not enough. There was a new emphasis on being a full service RESTAURANT... with that retro diner look from the 70's that they wanted. The decor displays lots of bright, clean, and shiny chrome, with a definite diner look. Vibrant colors, and some subtle memorabilia etched into the mirrored walls, surrounds the booths and tables that soften everything with their wood tones, fabrics and flowers.
You'll still find traditional counter service, and it is still open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. But the counter is not preeminent, the dining room is definitely restaurant.
The menu is very large. This is where the RESTAURANT part of the name has its best expression. The Dellaportas family is proud of its delicious food and bakery items.... and the service is top notch. AND, they deliver 24/7.
Argyris and Pat's son, Kal, is now a second generation owner manager. He came into the business in 2006 after cooking school, and now they are training Kal to take over. Slowly, Argyris and Pat are transferring the management of Bel Aire Restaurant and Diner to Kal, whose great strength is his personality and people skills. Peter Argyris is following in his father's footsteps, learning to bake in the hot basement.
Bel Aire Restaurant and Diner is on the corner of 21st Street and Broadway. It is a main thoroughfare running from Astoria and Ditmars to the Queens Midtown Tunnel entrance in Hunters' Point. It is a short distance to the 59th Street / Queens Borough Bridge.
Bel Aire Restaurant & Diner is warm and inviting.
It is colorful and has a contemporary style that is exempliefied by a retro 70's diner decor.
The large menu offers a rich array of items and specials that will please anyone.
The portions are more than ample. Food is presented beautifully, and served professionally.
Baking is done on premises. Pies Cakes, and Pasties are baked daily.
