After appearing on an episode of Food Networks’ “Diners, Drive-ins, and Drives,” Hildebrandt’s restaurant of Williston Park, is getting plenty of positive responses, according to co-owner Bryan Acosta.
Hildebrandt’s appeared on the Food Network program on March 28, hosted by Guy Fieri, in a segment entitled “Mozzarella to Motzah Balls.”
“We’ve had residents who have lived here in Williston Park for 30 years and are coming in for the first time,” Acosta said. “They said they didn’t even know we were here until they saw the segment on Food Network. We’ve also been getting people in from Queens.”
Acosta said since the show they have also been receiving calls asking to use the Hildebrandt’s location for scenes on TV shows.
“In the past we’ve usually let college kids film projects in here,” Acosta said. “I believe one of the shows interested was called “Royal Pains.”
One of the dishes featured on the show was Hildebrandts’s Chicken Dakota dish, after Acosta’s daughter suggested it. Originally the director of the show shot the idea down, but Acosta reasoned it was a good choice because it’s a particularly colorful dish – and ultimately the director agreed.
The show spent a total of 34 hours shooting material for be a 15-minute segment on the show, including two 14 hour shoots on consecutive days last fall.
Acosta and his wife, Susan, have been co-owners of Hildebrandt’s for the past five years, after taking over from Susan’s father, who had run the business for 36 years. The restaurant has been in Williston Park since 1927.
The Hildebrandt’s segment will air again on Food Network in June.
