La Puerta Azul to re-open as The Blue Door with new owners, new menu

PLEASANT VALLEY — La Puerta Azul, the Pleasant Valley restaurant known for its Mexican fare and live music, abruptly shuttered its doors at the end of 2025. The space is now set to re-open under new ownership and a slightly new name — The Blue Door Steakhouse.

The Blue Door is expected to open in March and will shift to an American and Italian menu, including pasta, steak and seafood dishes.

New owners Danny Greco and Frank DiDonato — both Hudson Valley residents — have worked together for the past two years across the street at Salt Point Market and Cafe. They described the new concept as “a familiar place, but elevated.”

Greco, who will manage all front-of-house aspects of The Blue Door while DiDonato will serve as the executive chef, said he is excited about the new venture. “It’s going to be rooted in community, inspired by tradition and thoughtfully refined,” he said.

Chef DiDonato began working at Salt Point Market and Cafe years prior to Greco’s 2023 purchase of the establishment. The two have since developed a close working partnership — one they joke began when Greco walked in for a sandwich and never left.

After learning La Puerta Azul had closed at the end of 2025, Greco and DiDonato moved quickly to pursue the space. They signed the lease on Christmas Day and described the timing as a gift.

“When I look at this space, I don’t see it under construction,” Greco said. “I see it open and running — and a place that feels like home to our community.”

The restaurant is currently undergoing a full interior renovation, but the new owners plan to preserve several elements as an homage to La Puerta Azul. The hand-painted bar tiles imported from Mexico will stay on the bar top, they said, and the waterfall at the entrance will also remain.

The pair also plans to preserve a wall mural titled “La Ballena/Long Bar” attributed to “A. Favela” and dated 2005.

In a nod to the building’s history, additional tiles left behind will be repurposed across the street at Salt Point Market and Cafe, where they will be used to accent a new pizza bar top. Greco and DiDonato say they want to extend the story of the previous restaurant beyond its original walls.

While the partners initially considered infusing Mexican flavors into the menu to honor the restaurant’s history, they ultimately decided to focus on what they know best.

“We realized that we should do what we know, and do it really well,” DiDonato said. “We want to give the community the best version of what we know how to do.”

Both owners said their approach is rooted in building trust locally — something they believe will carry over from their work at Salt Point Market and Cafe.

“You can’t just come into a small town and beat your chest,” Greco said. “People want to feel comfortable, and we believe that being a real part of the community is everything.”

DiDonato has built a local following for his culinary expertise, including meatballs, lasagna, and other Italian dishes. Regular customers ask what’s on the schedule and when certain items will be available.

Greco and DiDonato said The Blue Door will combine a playful, welcoming atmosphere with a serious focus on craft and hospitality.

The restaurant is expected to be open Wednesdays through Sundays from 3 p.m. to closing, with lunch services provided on the weekends. The owners will also accept catering requests and consider opening on Mondays and Tuesdays for private events.

With the opening still a month and a half away, the buzz is already strong. Former La Puerta Azul performers have reached out about returning for live music, and early social media comments — including questions about vegetarian and gluten-free options — have helped inform planning for the new menu.

“This was a busy restaurant before, and we believe it can be again,” Greco said.

The Blue Door is currently hiring for several positions and interested candidates can apply at contact@thebluedoorny.com.