Our Story
Where Tradition Meets a Modern Table
The story behind Alina’s – how it all started, what we stand for, and who’s in the kitchen.
Where everything started
One Ocean. Three Islands. One Table.
At ALINA’S, the flavors of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic come together into our own Caribbean fusion — served up as small plates made for sharing, long nights, and full tables.
The three islands aren’t a coincidence, they’re our story: Cuba through Elias’ grandfather’s roots, Puerto Rico through his stepmother, and the Dominican Republic through Alina — his grandmother, and the woman our name honors. Three backgrounds that turned out to complement each other beautifully in both food and culture — and that we’ve woven into something of our own.
Alina’s is more than a name, it’s a tribute:
Alina was born in 1941 in Santiago, Dominican Republic, and immigrated to Queens, New York, at eleven years old — a new country, a new language. There, she later raised three kids on her own, no safety net, just sheer will and a table that never went empty.
Her love of cooking started long before that, watching her own mother Idalia in the kitchen — recipes she picked up and carried with her to Queens. What began as her great-grandmother’s kitchen became Alina’s table, and today it’s becoming ours. Then as now, nothing brings her more joy than watching the smiles spread around the table at the first bite.
That story is more than where our recipes come from. It’s the whole foundation of what we’re building: the feeling that food keeps people together, no matter what life throws at you. At our table, nobody’s just a guest — everybody belongs.
That’s the feeling we want to share with you: casual-chic instead of fine dining, good cocktails, Caribbean music, and a home away from home.
Made for Sharing, Not Posing
Every dish is built for the middle of the table — order wide, pass the plates around, talk with your mouth full.
Honest Flavor
Our recipes don't come from a cookbook, they come from family — with everything honest and unpolished that comes with that. Tastes just like Grandma's.
Loud, Not Stiff
Casual-chic instead of fine dining. Warm light, good music, loud conversations — a night here never feels like a program, it feels like real Caribbean energy.
Ellen
Shapes what it feels like to walk into Alina's — from the welcome, to the room, to the story behind it all. For her, a great night out is more than good food: it's the light, the music, the hospitality, and the small details you only notice when they're missing.
Elias
Grew up on his grandmother Alina's recipes, and now brings them into a modern kitchen that brings Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic together on one plate. For him, cooking isn't about perfection, it's about honesty — every dish should taste like where it's really from, not like a show.
Opening Hours
Sunday – TuesdayClosed
Wednesday17:00 – 23:00
Thursday17:00 – 23:00
Friday17:00 – 24:00
Saturday17:00 – 24:00