Lucia Pizza, the Brooklyn born slice shop that has been creeping steadily uptown, is now headed for the Upper West Side, taking over the former Starbucks at 159 Columbus Avenue between West 67th and West 68th Streets. The space clocks in at about 869 square feet. Lucia has not announced an opening date, but recent filings and neighborhood coverage make it clear the group is getting ready to move in.
Where It Is Going
Local outlets report that Lucia is set to occupy the same 869 square foot unit that Starbucks shut down last September as part of wider company store consolidations. According to I Love the Upper West Side, the Columbus Avenue shop was one of several neighborhood locations that closed during Starbucks' "Back to Starbucks" restructuring, and the storefront has stayed dark since late 2025. The site also credits Ethan Harfenist for the photo that accompanied its original post.
From Avenue X To Columbus
Lucia opened on Avenue X in Sheepshead Bay in 2022, then quickly started hopping the river, adding Manhattan outposts in SoHo, Gramercy and on the Upper East Side. The company's official website lists its Brooklyn flagship along with those Manhattan locations, a sign of how quickly the brand has been building out its footprint. Coverage of Lucia's Manhattan move, including the Pete Wells bump that helped raise its profile, has appeared in outlets like Eater NY.
What They Will Serve
Menus at Lucia's Manhattan shops lean into both whole pies and by the slice orders. Signature options include the vodka style "Papa Leone," the ricotta topped "Salsiccia" and a poblano mushroom pie, along with Grandma and Sicilian squares, calzones and garlic knots. The online ordering page for the Upper East Side location lists detailed descriptions and pricing that match that lineup. For the UES menu, see the ordering page on Slice.
Official Filings Point To A Real Plan
State business records show a company called Lucia Pizzeria 5 LLC registered with a mailing address at 159 Columbus Avenue on January 16, 2026, according to BizProfile, which pulls from New York Department of State filings. The document lists Salvatore Carlino as the contact for the new entity. The paperwork suggests the deal is concrete, though I Love the Upper West Side notes that Lucia has not yet shared an opening date.
Why Locals Care
For neighborhood residents, swapping a corporate coffee chain for a city familiar slice shop changes the vibe on that stretch of Columbus Avenue and tracks with a broader wave of "new school" pizza outfits pushing deeper into Manhattan. Food media has been watching that shift and the evolving retail mix across the borough, with outlets like Eater NY among those following Lucia's expansion. Until an opening date is set, passersby on Columbus will keep walking past a temporarily empty storefront, knowing it is destined to flip from coffee counter to slice shop.
