The Queen of the South is the gigantic sign that has been the luminous crown of the Durrës palace since April 2026, known throughout Albania by the name of the FLY disco. The rooftop of this imposing yet unobtrusive building, with its 15 floors, dominates not only the Sail and the port but the entire city, offering a breathtaking 360° panoramic view. For a year and a half, the lights on the top floor of this palace had been turned off after the closure of the restaurant that bore the name XV. It was as if something symbolic for the city was missing, and this void also brought a bit of sadness. Then, the courage of a very young Neapolitan entrepreneur not only relit the rooftop lights but also signaled a recovery for the entire city.
The architect of this rebirth is called Salvatore D'Alise. He's 33 years old. He has the face of a hard worker, but also of a visionary, someone who looks ahead, doesn't settle for achieving something and immediately thinks of new projects. We meet him in his “kingdom,” a very bright restaurant occupying almost 1000 square meters, topped by a penthouse equipped with a solarium area, Jacuzzi pools, and a lounge bar area for listening to music, enjoying drinks, and dancing.
Why did Salvatore D'Alise land in Durrës?
I arrived in this city 12 years ago to engage in a business that has kept me busy since I was 18 years old: the import-export of diesel and gasoline.
A complex sector...
Yes. It is. But I have it in my DNA and it has always fascinated me. I will continue this activity
not anymore here in Albania. I moved it to the heart of Europe. I import diesel fuel. with storage in depots located in Poland, Latvia, and Germany, and then I sell it in Spain, Greece, and Italy. This is my main business.
From hydrocarbons to pasta, to pizza, to buffalo mozzarella...
The restaurant industry has always fascinated me. I'm from Naples, and cuisine, good food, are part of every Neapolitan's nature.
How did you get the idea to open such a prominent restaurant in Durrës?
When you open a restaurant, you put your face on it; you expose yourself to an audience that you only know in part. This is strongly motivating. And so, my partner Maria and I made this decision. At first, we wanted to start as a Neapolitan restaurant and pizzeria. Then we thought about adding a lounge bar, a nightclub, and a solarium. A very broad offering that aims to satisfy the needs of young and old, families, and tourists.
Happy with this new creature?
Yes...but I'm already thinking about another very ambitious project. With my lawyers and consultants, the project is already on paper, but it should materialize next March..
Can you give me the preview news?
Yes. Another Queen of the South will be born in Marbella.
A first-class tourist resort, a huge challenge…
It certainly won't be a walk in the park, but the project is solid and I'm sure it will take off well. My idol is Flavio Briatore, who was a brilliant club creator. Here in Marbella, I'd like to create something like Billionaire, but the name will still be La Regina del Sud.
So it will become a chain of establishments, even if they are differentiated?
Yes. This is the medium-to-long-term project
Why did they choose that name?
Because for me, Neapolitan cuisine is number 1 in the world. It's the queen for the products it uses, for the creativity and combined with the simplicity with which it prepares dishes, not just pizza and pasta, but also desserts.
Let's go back to Durrës. To reopen this establishment, which has been closed for a year and a half, was it necessary to invest a lot?
The premises were not in bad condition. But I invested a lot because I wanted to transform and enhance it, leveraging its unique location, brightness, and also the fact that it was a landmark for Durrës, a place to meet and share the emotion of the city's spectacle seen from above and the pleasure of good food. My idea is not that of a traditional restaurant. For next winter, I would like to create a pergola on the terrace with wooden tables inside. In the center of each table, there will be a brazier to cook meat. In practice, selected, high-quality meats from Italy will be displayed in the pergola: Marchigiana, Fiorentina, Neapolitan sausage, pork tracchie. A butcher will work here exclusively for us. Customers will choose the type of meat they want to eat. The butcher will cut it instantly, and then each customer, couple, group of friends, or family will bring this freshly cut meat to their table and can cook it on the grill.
I don't think there's anything like that in Albania today.
No. I would like to differentiate myself from other good restaurateur colleagues and introduce novelties. That's why I didn't start with a seafood restaurant, which in a seaside town seems like a natural, almost obligatory choice..
Is there any other typical Neapolitan dish you would like to introduce to the menu?
In winter, we will introduce other typical products of the cold seasons: Neapolitan saltimbocca and panuozzo.
The panuozzo is nothing more than a pizza bread in which you can put anything you want inside, so free sausages, meatballs in ragu, and eggplant. I emphasize, you can make a fresh one with salad and potatoes, it will be spectacular..
Will the famous FLY discotheque reopen?
Absolutely. But in a different, more modern way. We're focusing a lot on good music. We've already started with a few parties. There will be other events already scheduled for every weekend until September. We'll advertise them on social media and give them a lot of visibility. They will be opportunities for fun not just for the very young.
Will the Queen of the South give a new boost to the modernization of Durrës?
In the 12 years I've lived here, I've seen very rapid changes. But this race doesn't stop. There's the huge Durres Marina project, with the relocation of the commercial port to Porto Romano, and new futuristic buildings that will change the face of the city. The city is attracting significant foreign investment. And the Queen of the South wants to position herself as an important element of this transformation of Durres into an increasingly beautiful and attractive international city. A particular element is the duration of our service. We are open until midnight. This is very important, especially for tourists who, during the summer period, prefer to make the most of the entire day.
How was this highly innovative initiative of yours viewed by other operators?
I wouldn't know how to answer that. I have excellent relationships with everyone. Then the choice is entirely up to the client, who evaluates various elements: the beauty of the location, the quality of the product, the accuracy of the service, and the prices, which are very reasonable compared to the quality we offer. This is what I've invested in.
The buffalo mozzarella arrives from Naples twice a week. We do not use cow's milk mozzarella. Our pizza is a complex work to which we dedicate meticulous attention.
We proof our dough for at least 72 hours; we use Caputo flour, La Torrente tomatoes: these are top brands.
We do not use frozen potatoes, only fresh ones, which is why our pasta with potatoes has a special taste. We want our customers to receive the utmost attention.
How was the staff selected?
We have a Neapolitan master pizzaiolo and a Neapolitan chef. The rest of the staff is Albanian. Finding Albanian staff wasn't easy. But we invest heavily in training, and every two weeks we dedicate a day specifically to improving the staff's preparation. I must say that I see a lot of good will in the Albanian staff. And I also understand their difficulty in presenting our kind of menu to customers, which isn't a standard type. It's a Neapolitan menu with a truly rich pizza selection.
Introducing them to Albanian boys isn't easy. We put ourselves in their shoes. However, with training, we will definitely give these boys more tools.
Did you launch a communication campaign to make yourselves known?
We will soon start with advertising on airport screens. We've done some advertising on social media. But I believe more in word-of-mouth based on customer satisfaction.
How was your entrepreneurial initiative judged by the municipal institutions?
The people from the municipality I already knew appreciated it. I hope to be able to present the business and my projects to the Mayor soon.
Are you planning to present "La regina del Sud" at the Italian Embassy in Tirana?
From September, we will also be working on this. We would like our government's representation to appreciate our work.
THE PRESENTATION VIDEO OF THE QUEEN OF THE SOUTH IS AVAILABLE ON THE ALBANITALY YOUTUBE CHANNEL
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