The Sandwich Bar to Open in Astoria View Full Caption

DITMARS — A new bar and restaurant opening in Astoria next week will serve slow-roasted, hand-carved meat sandwiches and growlers of craft beer, according to its owner.

The Sandwich Bar will officially open its doors at 33-01 Ditmars Boulevard June 3, according to Theo Stamatiou, an Astoria resident and sommelier who owns bars and restaurants in his native Greece.

This will be his first local venture, a watering hole that serves specialty sandwiches.

"We're hoping to be the neighborhood bar," he said.

The Sandwich Bar will feature a menu of hand-carved roast beef, turkey and other meat sandwiches where ample time is the key ingredient.

"At The Sandwich Bar, we see sandwich making as an art form that is not meant to be rushed," the eatery boasts on its Facebook page.

"We're slow-cooking all of our meats, all of them are fresh," Stamatiou said, saying meats will be left overnight to roast. They also plan to serve staples such as burgers, soups and salads, and will be open for lunch and dinner, plus brunch on the weekends.

For drinks, the restaurant plans to offer two dozen craft beers, with 12 on tap — including Shiner Bock, Wolaver's Organic and Angry Orchard Hard Cider — that guests can take home in a growler.

Stamatiou said he wants to offer flights of beer and host tasting events.

"We try to do something fun. That's the culture — fun times," he said.

The drinks menu will expand to include hard liquor in about a month.

The space, formerly a Just Burgers, was renovated using recycled materials, and the wood panels on the exterior came from trees that came down during Hurricane Sandy, salvaged by the restoration company Re-Co BKlyn.