ASTORIA, Queens — Localish takes you to a Queens, New York, restaurant providing an authentic taste of Italy.
Founded in 2014, Via Vai is an Astoria eatery serving traditional Italian cuisine.
“Head chef Antonio Morichini expressed his motivation for entering the culinary industry, stating, “I decided to go in this business because I always, you know, love to cook, and because we grow up in Italian family, Italian family always cook.”
Morichini says part of what makes Via Vai special is not only the food, but also the atmosphere and hospitality.
“In his quest to offer delicious food without overwhelming diners, Morichini emphasized, “We find a compromise to serve the great food, but without, you know, too much pressure to the people there to enjoy. This is a typical table — the Italian family.”
The head chef say he cooks every single dish that comes out of Via Vai’s kitchen himself.
“From everything that goes in front of the fire, I’m there. From the main course to the pasta, everything is from my hands,” Morichini said.
Putting the customer and their guests first, Morichini strives to uphold high standards, ensuring that both the dining experience and the quality of food exceed expectations.
Via Vai makes their pasta, including ravioli and gnocchi, fresh in-house.
One dish that you will find at Via Vai is the caprese salad. You’ll also find bucatini all’amatriciana, which is a typical pasta made in Rome. Morichini says Via Vai’s branzino is also a top seller, which they cook in focaccia bread.
“More than 10 years — it’s a lot of commitment, a lot of sacrifice every day. But, you know, we enjoy, we have a lot of passion to share with our customers,” Morichini said.
You can learn more about the restaurant here.
