@siadvance From buttermilk biscuit delivery to margarita mixing on an open patio, the Staten Island Mall is ushering in a new wave of food options, with outdoor spaces and pop-up-style vendors reshaping how visitors gather, dine and linger. New concepts include a Häagen-Dazs kiosk, Dutchess Cookies and a summer beer garden from local proprietor Carmine Gualtieri of Hop Shoppe. His operation kicked off on Cinco de Mayo with a wild debut of its outdoor patio concept, drawing early crowds to a space designed for lingering. For more on this story, click the link 🔗 in our bio. #statenisland #statenislandmall ♬ original sound – SI Advance/SILive
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Is it Duchess Cookies anchoring the mall’s food district—or the promise of New York City’s own tropical summer breezes in a new seating area courtesy of Hop Shoppe—that’s drawing people back? Take your pick. In this case, it was Hop Shoppe that grabbed attention, thanks to our TikTok video teasing its parking‑lot dining rollout on Cinco de Mayo.
Almost as fast as you could say “potato tornado,” reactions came lightning‑quick—and split straight down the middle. Some commenters were ready to take a seat at a picnic table. Others couldn’t get past the heat, the fumes, and the idea of kids darting between cars.
Together, the responses echoed a familiar Staten Island refrain: we want something new—but we’re skeptical.
The TikTok preview sparked immediate debate, with commenters questioning everything from safety and comfort to cost and staying power…