Garden City Pub Going New Age

Garden City Pub owner Doug DeLorenzo is taking his restaurant in a new direction.

"We want to keep that pub atmosphere, but also have a fine dining atmosphere," he said in a phone interview with Garden City Patch on Monday.

DeLorenzo is looking to make his restaurant a "new age type pub." 

"We're bringing an exotic menu, with steak, filet mignon, veal dishes and roast duck," DeLorenzo said.

DeLorenzo thinks people hear the word "pub" in the restaurant's name and automatically think of a place only to get wings, burgers and beer. With the menu changes, he hopes to change that perception.

"We want to be known as having a family atmosphere," DeLorenzo said, adding that he wants the Garden City Pub to be a place for "anyone and everyone."

The transition will be gradual, according to DeLorenzo, with no set date for completion. "Every week we have five specials. We're slowly going to take the menu we have and introduce new specials," he said.

Moving forward, he also plans to eliminate some dishes.

"We have some items on the menu that customers don't order that often," DeLorenzo said.

"It's going to be a constant evolution," he said.  "We'll take old meals, give them a new twist, something special, different."

The move was inspired by comparing the pub to other restaurants, as well as wanting to improve for the sake of Garden City.

"We feel that Garden City is an incredible place to live. We want to have that caliber that people have in their everyday life," DeLorenzo said. "Some places, you look at their menus, are dinosaurs."

DeLorenzo plans on improving more than just the menu too.

"We have over 20 [beer] taps and we keep over 20 bottles," he said. "The craze lately, of course, is all the wheat beers," he said, noting that Sam Adams Cherry Wheat and Bud Light Wheat have been popular for the pub this year.

"We're constantly rotating new beers in, not necessarily domestic," he said.  "We're bringing in all these different flavors from all over the world. We're more than just Harp, Guinness and Bass," he said.

DeLorenzo is also looking to improve on the pub's wine selection. "We'll try to hook up with Long Island vineyards," he said, adding that he is in the process of installing a wine cellar.

The pub's silverware, plates and glasses are getting a new look too.

"It enhances the actual look. Sometimes, if things look better, they taste better," DeLorenzo said.

Despite all the changes, DeLorenzo does not think long time customers who come for the traditional pub atmosphere will be turned off by the transition.

"We've been the restaurant you go to for Grandma's home cooking, and we want to keep some of that," he said.

Even with his restaurant's new focus on family dining, the Garden City Pub will remain a good option for people who want to drink a beer, eat a burger and watch a football game, DeLorenzo added.

So far customer response has been positive. 

"Overall, the changes have been for the good," he said.