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Italian bar-restaurant is on its way to Queen Village corner

Former Whetstone Tavern is in play. Name is TBA.

Bart Troiano outside of 700 S. Fifth St., site of his forthcoming Italian restaurant.
Bart Troiano outside of 700 S. Fifth St., site of his forthcoming Italian restaurant.Read moreMICHAEL KLEIN / Staff

The former Whetstone Tavern on the corner of Fifth and Bainbridge Streets in Queen Village won't remain vacant too long.

A family-friendly Italian bar-restaurant — whose TBA name may contain the word bacio — is taking shape at 700 S. Fifth St. under Bart Troiano, the building's new owner.

Troiano, 30, a native New Yorker who graduated from Widener University, owns two New York restaurants — Il Villagio in Malverne, Long Island, and Boardwalk Pizza, in Far Rockaway, Queens.

He's installed his former roommate Justin Bruno (Ashton Cigar Bar) as general manager. They're in search of a chef to execute a trattoria menu.

Interior is being remodeled with antique white subway tiles in the dining rooms, and exposed brick behind the bar.

They hope to open in late October.

Vincent Stipo of MSC Retail handled the transaction.

Before Whetstone, the location housed a series of restaurants over the years, including East of Amara, Coquette, Adsum, and Tapestry.