QUEENS — A popular Forest Hills gastropub will get a new name, more TV screens and new booths, the owners said.
The Flying Pig will soon be called “Austin Public,” said Declan Morrison, 35, one of the founders of the pub. Morrison said that the new name will seek to reflect the fact that it’s a neighborhood place attracting mostly local patrons.
The gastropub, at 70-28 Austin St., near 70th Road, will also change its decor. The owners will add five new TVs, bringing the number of screens to nine.
New booths with leather banquettes will also replace regular tables near the entrance of the restaurant, Morrison said.
The menu will also change, the owners said, although the details are still being worked out.
The makeover, Morrison said, comes with a new co-owner — John Maloney, who also runs craft beer bar Off the Rails on the Upper East Side and The Junction, a sports bar near Grand Central Terminal.
"Forest Hills is just a great busy neighborhood," Maloney said. He added that he wants the pub to be more family friendly during the day, but at the same time to attract young and hip crowd with its "nighttime vibe."
The pub will continue to serve dozens of craft beers and pricey whiskey shots, Morrison said. It will also host live music events.
The venue will close for renovations on April 28 and will reopen on May 2, just in time for the Cinco de Mayo weekend, Morrison said.
The Flying Pig was one of three pubs that opened in the area in spring last year, two others being Banter on Queens Boulevard and Forest Hills Station House on Continental Avenue.
