Malavita (614 Manhattan Ave.) soft-opened yesterday, April 8. Greenpoint local Keith Pulitano opened his new sandwich shop in the former home of Baoburg, which closed in 2024 after serving Southeast Asian comfort food for 12 years.
During this soft opening phase, Malavita will serve a limited menu of ten Italian subs. This menu has not been shared, but customers can expect ingredients like mortadella, prosciutto, soppressata, salami, mozzarella, provolone, pepperoni, and black olive spread.
On Reddit, Pulitano said that he is “planning on doing sandwiches, some Italian savory and sweet baked goods, pastas, salads, and a few dinner items at night.” So, Malavita may expand its menu after this soft opening phase.
Pulitano also owns a natural wine bar called El Vino Crudo with a sandwich shop next door called Malavita in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, but he told Greenpointers that his shop in Puerto Rico and his new Brooklyn restaurant only share the same name and are different concepts.
Greenpoint’s Malavita is a few blocks from Pulitano’s Greenpoint apartment. Pulitano said that he dreamed about building “something closer to home.”
Malavita “is shaped by the city I’ve lived in for nearly 15 years,” he said. “It’s a neighborhood spot, but modern, thoughtful, and rooted in good food and good energy.”
Malavita’s current hours are 2 p.m. – 9 p.m. daily, but on Instagram, the shop noted that it may open earlier this weekend.