Viral Social Media Star To Open Trendy Italian Sandwich Shop In Brooklyn

BROOKLYN, NY — Brooklyn’s food scene is about to get a viral twist, thanks to a TikTok sensation making the leap from behind the screen to sandwich shop.

Williamsburg will soon be home to Casa Cugine, the brainchild of social media personality Danny Mondello, better known to his millions of followers as Cugine—the Italian slang for “cousin.”

The sandwich shop will open at 427 Graham Ave., on the corner of Frost Street, in the space formerly occupied by Caffe Capri, a family-owned establishment that served the neighborhood from 1974 until its closure in 2015, and most recently, Rose Wolf Coffee.

The Staten Island–born influencer has teased his millions of Instagram and TikTok followers with a glimpse of Casa Cugine's short, curated menu, featuring five cleverly named sandwiches that Cugine's fans will surely recognize, including the "Hey Toots," the "How Ya' Doin'," and the "Brazhoot of Happiness."

An official opening date for Casa Cugine has not yet been announced, but Mondello told Grub Street that he plans to open "any day now," pending permit approvals."