Flora's Wine Bar & Restaurant opens in Port Washington

Port Washington has a new Main Street gem for those seeking a pasta and wine fix. Ervis and Gabriella Xhelaj, the husband-wife team behind Syosset’s cozy Flora’s Pizza Café, have expanded their burgeoning Italian empire: Flora’s Wine Bar and Restaurant.

The new restaurant inhabits the 40-seat space vacated by the short-lived Olive Room Meeting Pointe late last year. Its opening menu replicates Flora’s in Syosset, with handmade pastas including a decadent cacio e pepe ($26); a meaty malfadine alla Bolognese ($27); a truffled fettuccine with porcini mushrooms ($26) — add burrata or meatballs for $8, or substitute gluten-free penne or whole wheat rigatoni.

Pizzas here — Margherita ($23), hot honey, ricotta and pepperoni ($24), and truffled versions ($28) — are thin and crispy, with organic, gluten-free cauliflower crusts, and made cheesy by mozzarella and Fior di Latte cheeses. If you’re in the mood for something lighter, salads filled with spinach, beets, squash and goat cheese ($18) or arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, and ricotta salata ($18) are filled with organic veggies. Sharables include veal meatballs ($18) and fried artichokes ($16) while mains encompass chicken ($27) or veal ($33) Milanese and branzino ($39). There’s only one dessert: classic Italian tartufo covered in chocolate — and it should not be missed.

The focus on biodynamic, natural and organic Italian wines here is wide-ranging, with bottles from small batch wineries lining the walls. Whether you’re looking for a Sicilian Nero d’Avola, a fruity Pinot Grigio, a lush Barolo, an effervescent Lambrusco, or big, bold Tuscan, the Xhelajes have chosen them all.

The new Flora’s feels fresh and intimate, with replicas of Italian frescos on the ceiling, a deep red palette of booths that matches the exposed brick walls. A bar with six seats at the back of the space offers more casual dining.

“Our regulars that were west of Syosset kept asking for a spot closer to Glen Cove Road,” Ervis said of the decision to expand to Port Washington. “We looked at a bunch of places, but when one of our clients tipped us off about this spot, it felt exactly right.”

Flora’s Wine Bar & Restaurant, 172 Main St., Port Washington, 516-758-3233, florasrestaurants.com; Open Monday through Friday 4 to 10 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

By Marie Elena Martinez

marieelena.martinez@newsday.com@mariesworlds

A global freelancer who has checked her suitcase to raise her young daughter on her native Long Island, Marie Elena will always make time for good mezcal, even better tacos and killer conversation. Preferably, in a corner bar seat. She can be found on Instagram at @mariesworldeats.