The East Bronx has long been known for its neighborhood restaurants, where good food and familiar faces keep customers coming back. Fiorentina Steakhouse is bringing that same neighborhood feel to the classic steakhouse experience.
Located in Throggs Neck, Fiorentina is owned by Danny Zeqiraj and Benny Berisha, two longtime members of the community who brought different backgrounds and experiences together to open the restaurant. Zeqiraj spent more than a decade working in hospitality and steakhouses in Midtown Manhattan, while Berisha has been a local businessman for more than 20 years. Berisha also owns Cestra’s Pizza, Cestra’s Bakery and the newly opened Cestra’s Bakery Wholesale, further expanding his longtime presence in the East Bronx business community.
Both owners also come from an Albanian background, where they say hospitality and making guests feel welcome are deeply rooted in the culture.
“Benny and I both live in the neighborhood, and we felt there was something missing here,” Zeqiraj said. “We wanted people in our community to be able to enjoy a true fine dining steakhouse experience without having to deal with the traffic and hassle of going into Manhattan or traveling to Westchester.”
Zeqiraj said their goal was to bring the atmosphere and service of a Manhattan steakhouse to Throggs Neck while maintaining the feel of a neighborhood restaurant.
Fiorentina opened in January 2023.
At the center of Fiorentina is its steaks. The restaurant uses Certified Angus Beef and dry ages its steaks in house for approximately four weeks. Its menu also includes seafood, pasta and traditional steakhouse sides, along with some less traditional offerings.
One of those is the restaurant’s corn crème brûlée, a savory take on the classic dessert that has become one of Fiorentina’s signature sides.
The restaurant has also developed a growing base of regular customers, including strong support from the Bronx’s Albanian community, while becoming a destination for birthdays, private parties, business dinners and other celebrations.
Community member John Marano is among those who have become regular customers and said it is the way people are treated when they walk through the door that keeps him coming back.
“When you walk in the steakhouse you are greeted with a kiss, a hug and a big welcome,” Marano said. “Danny and Benny are great people. I’ve been bringing my family and friends to the steakhouse since they opened and I will continue to do so, not only because the food is amazing, but the service is top notch.”
For Zeqiraj and Berisha, seeing those familiar faces return is exactly what they envisioned when they opened Fiorentina.
In a borough built around strong neighborhoods and strong food traditions, Fiorentina is carving out its own place in the East Bronx, giving local residents a classic New York steakhouse experience a little closer to home.
