Wahlburgers to open in Coney Island this summer

Actors Mark, Donnie Wahlberg join family members in business venture

April 24, 2015 By Paula Katinas Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Mark, Paul, Alma and Donnie Wahlberg (left to right) are preparing to open one of their popular burger restaurants in Coney Island. Photo by Zach Dilgard

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Hollywood star power is coming to Coney Island!

Actors Donnie and Mark Wahlberg, along with family members, are bringing a touch of Tinseltown to Brooklyn. The famous siblings plan to open Wahlburgers, one of their casual burger restaurants, in the neighborhood.

Wahlburgers will open at 3015 Stillwell Ave. this summer. A grand opening celebration is being planned. The opening date has not been announced.

The Coney Island location will be the first Wahlburgers in New York City.

“For our first store in New York, Coney Island is perfect,” Mark Wahlberg said in a statement. “It’s all about bringing together friends, family and sharing good times, just like our brand. We’re looking forward to partnering with a great team in New York and creating amazing memories at Wahlburgers.”

Wahlburgers was founded by Mark and Donnie Wahlberg, along with their brother Paul, a chef. The brothers’ first burger restaurant opened in their hometown of Hingham, Massachusetts in 2011. The restaurant is also the subject of “Wahlburgers,” an Emmy-nominated reality show on A&E Network.

The Wahlberg family plans to open six more restaurants in New York City. The Wahlbergs are working with the New York-based company Big Apple Burgers.

The new 6,800-square-foot Wahlburgers in Coney Island will feature a main level dining room overlooking the boardwalk, a walk-up window serving Wahlburgers’ fare and specialty cocktails, and an indoor-outdoor bar. Much of the seating is on a rooftop patio, which will have a retractable glass roof.

Guests will be able to enjoy fresh ground beef burgers, pure beef hot dogs, crispy fries, onion rings, tater tots, signature salads, specialty frappes and beer and cocktails.

The menu, created by Executive Chef Paul Wahlberg, will feature Donnie Wahlberg’s choice, a barbecued bacon burger available as a turkey or beef burger and topped with white cheddar cheese, bacon, avocado, jalapeños and barbecue sauce. Mark Wahlberg’s favorite is also on the menu. It features fresh ground seasoned turkey, stuffing, Paul Wahlberg’s orange-cranberry sauce, roasted butternut squash and mayonnaise.

The siblings’ mother, Alma McPeck Wahlberg Conroy, also plays a major role in the eatery.

Other menu selections include an array of house-made salads, including Alma’s macaroni salad, which is made with red onion, sweet peppers, parsley and a creamy mayonnaise dressing.

The Wahlbergs will also offer vegetarian-friendly menu options including a Portobello mushroom cap burger, made with a marinated and roasted Portobello mushroom cap, caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato and Wahl sauce and a crispy haddock sandwich, made with seasoned Panko-breaded haddock fillet, lettuce, tomato and Paul’s balsamic tartar sauce.

The centerpiece of the dessert menu will be frappes ade with farm fresh milk and ice cream from Nona’s Homemade, a famous ice cream shop in Dorchester, Massachusetts. The frappes will be available in chocolate mint, mocha and chocolate strawberry and other flavors.

The restaurant will feature a retail shop that will have branded Wahlburgers merchandise for sale, including T-shirts, key chains and shot glasses.

Mark Wahlberg’s acting credits include such hit movies as “Three Kings,” “Boogie Nights,” “The Fighter,” “The Departed” and “Ted.”

Donnie Wahlberg, a founding member of the group New Kids on the Block, is an actor who currently stars in the CBS drama “Blue Bloods.”

Wahlburgers will be open at 7:30 a.m. each day to serve breakfast and will be open for lunch and dinner.

“Growing up in New York, Coney Island was a summertime family tradition,” said John Cestare of Big Apple Burgers, a partner in the new restaurant. “The Wahlberg family also shares that tradition, which is why we wanted our first New York outpost to be here.”

For more information on Wahlburgers, visit http://www.wahlburgersrestaurant.com. Information is also available on www.wahlburgersny.com and www.facebook.com/wahlburgersconeyisland.