We wanted to learn a little bit more about the community surrounding Brooklyn Bicycle Co. bikes, so we created a section of our journal dedicated to some of the people we’ve been fortunate to call our customers.

Each month we feature a different member of the Brooklyn Bicycle Co. community and share what makes them tick. Read on to learn about the most recent member of our community spotlight...

ANDREW TARTAGLIA, CO-OWNER, VERDE KITCHEN & COCKTAIL BAR & COASTAL KITCHEN & DAIQUIRI BAR

Where do you call home? Tell us about some of your favorite things about your community! 

Home for me now is the South Shore LI community of Bay Shore. After many years living in Ocean Beach Fire Island I have settled here on the mainland just across the bay. I love the small town feel of both communities. Bay Shore is a hip little town and I enjoy living here. Riding around town, lots of stops for hellos, and supporting my local community - which is easy because it’s awesome!

Tell us about each of your bars: Verde Kitchen & Cocktails and Coastal Kitchen + Daiquiri Bar. How did you get started and what drew you to open a bar?

Having spent most of my life in the restaurant industry, I was blessed to have an opportunity to take the next step into business ownership. My brother, our friend Chef Zach and I took 361 days to build Verde (our first venture). Refurbishing what we could and building what we needed with repurposed materials. Part of that project was renovating our Greenhouse Dining Room where we grow in over 60 planter boxes year-round and are 100% edible/usable in the summer months. The three of us have travelled many times to Mexico and love the food and culture. We felt a lack of Authentic Mexican Restaurants out here on LI so we took the leap and started our own spot where we combine a full menu (tacos and so much more) with a great cocktail program. It’s been almost 5 years now and we love our ever-growing community of friends and family. We strive to combine respect & authenticity with the best locally sourced ingredients for both food and cocktails in our own “Verde” way.

Coastal Kitchen + Daiquiri Bar began with a similar feeling. It started with us wanting something that we couldn’t find. As travelers we have again been blessed to visit many coastal communities and each time we are inspired. We wanted to create a concept both focused and broad enough to incorporate all of the wonderful food, drink, & culture that exists in coastal communities around the world. We’ll keep wandering and looking for inspiration as we hope you do too! Feel free to share your favorite coastal food, drink, music, art, or whatever moves you at www.coastalliny.com or @coastalliny. Even better, pop in and share your travels with us over some food and drink. 

Run us through your perfect Saturday biking around Bay Shore. 

My perfect Saturday biking in Bay Shore is more like a Monday 😊 (restaurant industry things). On a nice day I love to ride up to my favorite coffee shop for some iced coffee and a croissant before a morning yoga class. In the afternoons the bay is a beautiful place to ride for a visit. But my favorite is the summer evenings. Riding with friends to our favorite Bay Shore restaurants and enjoying the beauty of this town. Raw bar & bubbly at Salt & Barrel, a visit for a chat & a cocktail with our pals at Tullulahs, and down to The Lakehouse for snacks and sunsets.  

What Brooklyn Bicycle Co. bike do you currently ride? What made you choose this specific model? 

Thanks to some amazing customer service I am happily riding the Driggs 3 speed. I always like to call and talk to someone and Rachel set me up with the perfect relaxed ride for my daily commute and evening explorations! 

Share something that you are really excited about right now. Could be a favorite book, recipe, cocktail, movie, event at your bar(s), etc. (Keep in mind that we’ll be sharing your spotlight piece in later February). 

Honestly, I’m really excited to be a part of the continued growth of what has become my home town. After many years of travelling seasonally I am happy to be settled in this fun little town. As the weather warms, I am looking forward to biking down to see some live music at Coastal and all around town. I also always love a quick trip to Ocean Beach for some waves and of course to see all my old pals in town. Taking my Driggs to the ferry, and the ferry to my beach cruiser that’s locked up and waiting in OB. Come visit us out here. Bring your bike and your appetite. Find a local and jump right in with the crew. We’re always happy to share our favorite spots.

Andrew rides our Driggs 3 Speed in Denim Blue.

Photos are by Input Collection (@gnarshredjab).