Food &amp; Dining

A local nonprofit is helping more than two dozen New York City restaurants stay open amid mass coronavirus-related closures. Last month, Rethink Food NYC launched a "Restaurant Response" program that partners with restaurants in need of financial support and provides free or subsidized food to New Yorkers in need. As part of the program, the nonprofit will award 30 New York City restaurants a grant of up to $40,000 to help make 24,000 meals in total per day.
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Food & Dining

March 30, 2020

Behind the scenes at 95-year-old Woodhaven chocolate maker Schmidt’s Candy

By James and Karla Murray

We may not be able to gather together for Easter this year, but we can certainly still place a chocolate order to lift our spirits. And if the Easter Bunny is choosing where to get the best homemade chocolates and candies to fill his basket, Schmidt’s Candy in Woodhaven, Queens would certainly be a top choice. German immigrant Frank Schmidt founded this nearly-century old confectionery shop in 1925. We recently had a chance to tour this iconic shop with Margie Schmidt, Frank's granddaughter and the third-generation owner. Margie continues to make specialty holiday chocolates and candies by hand using the same recipes that were handed down to her by her father. Ahead, go behind the scenes to see how all these tasty treats are made, tour the historic interior, and learn about the shop’s history from Margie.
You're in for a sweet treat

Bodegas in NYC now have their own delivery app

Photo by Clément Falize on Unsplash

March 24, 2020

Bodegas in NYC now have their own delivery app

Deemed as essential by the state, bodegas in New York City are open during the coronavirus outbreak. For those craving a bacon, egg, and cheese from your local deli, but can't leave your apartment, a new app is here to help. As first reported by Eater, My Bodega Online is looking to give New Yorkers another option when it comes to ordering take-out and groceries for delivery, while simultaneously supporting local businesses.
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NYC bars and restaurants can now sell to-go cocktails

Photo by Kobby Mendez on Unsplash

March 17, 2020

NYC bars and restaurants can now sell to-go cocktails

To stop the spread of coronavirus, New York officials on Monday closed all restaurants and bars, with the exception of takeout and delivery services. The new rules, as mandated by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Liquor Authority, allow businesses to sell to-go alcoholic beverages, including wine and liquor for the first time, as long as it is with a food purchase. This change in liquor laws will continue until April 15 but could be extended.
Details here

Photo. of the Ample Hills Factory © Kate Glicksberg for 6sqft

March 16, 2020

Brooklyn’s Ample Hills Creamery files for bankruptcy

Popular Brooklyn-based ice cream purveyor Ample Hills Creamery has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the Real Deal reported. The filing will enable the company to restructure its debt and organizations while keeping its 13 New York stores open. In a statement to the website, Ample Hills said the filing was not as a result of the current COVID-19 pandemic, but instead allows for the business to "course correct."
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Food & Dining

Photo by Beyond My Ken via Wiki Commons

March 16, 2020

Soho’s iconic Vesuvio Bakery comes back to life

Keeping in mind that the city's new restaurant policy will likely affect it, Gothamist has reported that a new bakery has opened in the former Vesuvio Bakery storefront at 160 Prince Street. They've called themselves Vesuvio Bakery and intend on preserving as much of the iconic, 100-year-old establishment's physical look and simple community aesthetic.
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Food & Dining

48-year-old Chinatown restaurant Jing Fong temporarily shuts down

Photo by josh s jackson via Flickr cc

March 13, 2020

48-year-old Chinatown restaurant Jing Fong temporarily shuts down

NYC's largest Chinese restaurant, Jing Fong, has temporarily shut its doors at 20 Elizabeth Street amid the coronavirus health crisis. The situation is two-fold for the iconic dim sum restaurant; not only is business down 30 to 40 percent, according to the Post, but since the restaurant has 800 seats, they fall under Governor Cuomo's order that gatherings of 500 or more be shut down. The effect of the pandemic has been especially hard for restaurants in Manhattan's Chinatown, as well as those Chinatowns in Flushing and Sunset Park.
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Food & Dining

Peak’s main dining room and views, photo by Charissa Fay

March 11, 2020

See inside Peak, the 101st-floor restaurant at Hudson Yards

Hudson Yards is already home to restaurants from acclaimed chefs like José Andrés, David Chang, and Thomas Keller, but as of tomorrow, a new modern American dining option opening in the neighborhood will create an even higher standard, literally. The 10,000-square-foot restaurant and bar Peak will sit on the 101st floor of 30 Hudson Yards, the development's tallest tower. Not only does it connect to the 1,100-foot-high sky deck Edge below, but it offers insane 360-degree views and a chic design scheme. Ahead, see some of the first photos of Peak.
Details and views here

Food & Dining

Prospect Park Picnic House will get a food and beverage concession

The second-floor entrance to the Picnic House, photo by Prospect Park Alliance via Flickr cc

March 3, 2020

Prospect Park Picnic House will get a food and beverage concession

The 10 million visitors who walk through Prospect Park each year will have a new place to stop for food and drink very soon. The Prospect Park Alliance has issued an RFP for "the sale of food and beverage items from the ground floor Picnic House concession space." Currently, the Picnic House's second floor is a popular event and wedding venue, but the first floor is mainly unused.
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Food & Dining

Levain is bringing its giant cookies to Noho

No need to travel uptown anymore when you have a craving for a gooey, half-pound cookie. Time Out NY tells us that Levain is opening a Noho outpost, their first downtown location, on February 26th. In addition to offering their four signature cookies--chocolate chip walnut, dark chocolate peanut butter chip, dark chocolate chocolate chip, and oatmeal raisin--the new shop will have a yet-to-be-revealed new menu.
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Food & Dining

Image by jacqueline macou from Pixabay

February 20, 2020

21 places to celebrate Mardi Gras and eat King Cake in NYC

You don't have to travel to New Orleans to get in on the Mardi Gras festivities; New York City has some fun Fat Tuesday events of its own (though they may be a tad tamer than what you'll find in Louisiana!). From brass bands and jazz performances to crawfish boils and King Cake, we've rounded up 20+ great ways to celebrate Mardis Gras this year.
Start making plans

Pierogis, borscht, and Ukrainian history: Behind the scenes at East Village restaurant Veselka

All photos taken by James and Karla Murray exclusively for 6sqft

February 13, 2020

Pierogis, borscht, and Ukrainian history: Behind the scenes at East Village restaurant Veselka

21,000 pierogis, 2,500 latkes, and 110 gallons of borscht--that's how much Veselka is serving up each week. But it's impossible to quantify how many memories have been made at the famous East Village Ukrainian restaurant, which has been in operation since 1954. Whether it's grandparents who remember going to what was then a small candy shop and newspaper stand at a time when the East Village was a thriving Eastern European community, or counter-culture icons of the 1970s, or club kids of the '90s, or the NYU students of today, you can bet that nearly every New Yorker has some story of enjoying a meal at Veselka. 6sqft recently got a behind-the-scenes tour of Veselka's kitchen to see how the magic happens, in addition to chatting with third-generation owner Jason Birchard. Ahead, check out all the photos and learn about the history of Veselka.
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Photo via The Pennsy

February 12, 2020

Penn Station’s food hall, The Pennsy, and neighboring Kmart are closing

The retail landscape around Penn Station is set for some changes. The Pennsy Food Hall right above the station will be closing its doors for good on March 31, Commercial Observer reports. The 8,000-square-foot food hall opened at Vornado Realty Trust's 2 Penn Plaza four years ago with a mix of vendors and late-night hours to draw in delayed commuters as well as pre-concert and post-game crowds. The closure is hitting vegan eatery Cinnamon Snail especially hard—the company has confirmed it will be shutting down all operations after The Pennsy shutters. The news came on the same day that the Kmart across the street announced it would close after 24 years at One Penn Plaza.
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Food & Dining

All renderings courtesy of City Winery

January 31, 2020

City Winery reveals more looks for new location at Google’s Pier 57

How's a glass of wine with a view of the new Pier 55 offshore park sound? If the answer is "good," that's exactly what you'll get at City Winery's new location coming just up the street at Pier 57. Located at 15th Street in Hudson River Park, the venue is part of the pier's larger $380 million renovation that includes a new home for Google. City Winery will have a restaurant, tasting room with River views, a fully functioning winery/wine production facility, a 350-seat concert hall, and a 150-person loft event space. After 11 years, City Winery closed its long-time Tribeca location last summer.
Get a look inside

Food & Dining

An Italian-style food hall is coming to Canal Street’s historic First National City Bank building

Rendering courtesy of Mercato Fabbrica

January 30, 2020

An Italian-style food hall is coming to Canal Street’s historic First National City Bank building

Plans to bring an Italian market to the First National City Bank building at 415 Broadway (or 296 Canal Street) have just been announced. The narrow block between Lispenard and Canal Streets once housed the largest commercial bank in the world and is known for its Art Moderne facade. The 35,000-square-foot interior will be transformed into Mercato Fabbrica, a "culinary destination inspired by the great markets, department stores and social clubs around the world." The idea has been in the works since 2018 and is slated to open later this year.
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Food & Dining

Restaurant with outdoor patio space proposed for Williamsburg’s McCarren Park

Proposed outdoor seating facing the park; Rendering by Inca Architecture, courtesy of NYC Parks

January 30, 2020

Restaurant with outdoor patio space proposed for Williamsburg’s McCarren Park

A restaurant with outdoor seating could be coming to McCarren Park in Brooklyn next year. The city's Parks Department is working with the owners of the entertainment venue Brooklyn Night Bazaar, which closed its doors permanently last fall, to bring a new concession to the McCarren Park House, a structure built in the early 20th century and designed by McKim, Mead, and White. As Brooklyn Paper first reported, the restaurant, expected to open in spring 2021, would help finance a $1.2 million renovation of the crumbling comfort station's facilities.
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Food & Dining

Renderings courtesy of Krispy Kreme

January 30, 2020

Krispy Kreme opening five new NYC stores ahead of Times Square flagship

By Michelle Cohen

Iconic doughnut chain Krispy Kreme announced in June that it will bring its "doughnut theater experience" to a 45,000-square-foot retail space at the corner of 48th Street and Broadway in Times Square where visitors will be able to watch the doughnut-making process–complete with glaze waterfall–or just grab one to go at the walk-up window. It won't open until May, but to hold you over, Krispy Kreme will soon open five new Manhattan locations, in addition to reopening their long-time Penn Station outpost after a renovation (h/t Time Out NY).
More, this way

Food & Dining

January 30, 2020

City Bakery founder opening a hot chocolate bar in Greenwich Village

City Bakery founder Maury Rubin has spent the past weeks in a "Wonka-ish frenzy," Grub Street tells us, as he prepares to launch his latest venture: the Wonderbon Chocolate Co. Rubin and his partner have taken out a three-month lease on a storefront at 257 Bleeker Street—most recently occupied by Sugar and Plumm—which will feature a menu of twelve hot chocolate flavors in an espresso-bar setting. The opening comes just in time for February, the month Rubin made famous for his hot chocolate festival at City Bakery, a tradition he began in 1992 that attracted more than 50,000 customers each year.
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Food & Dining

Angel’s Share speakeasy owners open sit-down Japanese restaurant at Industry City

Photo courtesy of Industry City

January 29, 2020

Angel’s Share speakeasy owners open sit-down Japanese restaurant at Industry City

A new sit-down restaurant has opened in the Japanese food court at Sunset Park's Industry City complex. From the owners of popular speakeasy Angel's Share, Wakuwaku is a 3,200-square-foot izakaya at Japan Village with 60 seats and private tatami mat rooms. Wakuwaku, currently just serving lunch as part of its soft opening, will offer Japanese-style tapas and shochu-based cocktails when the full dinner menu launches.
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Food & Dining

Chef José Andrés will open two new restaurants at the forthcoming Ritz-Carlton in Nomad

Rendering courtesy of Flag Luxury Group; portrait of José Andrés by Blair Getz Mezibov

January 29, 2020

Chef José Andrés will open two new restaurants at the forthcoming Ritz-Carlton in Nomad

Renowned chef José Andrés is growing his presence in New York City with two new restaurants in The Ritz-Carlton hotel currently rising in Nomad. Andrés' ThinkFoodGroup has been tapped by developer Flag Luxury Group to oversee all food and beverage at the 250-room hotel which is slated to open in 2021. In addition to the two restaurants, the group will run a rooftop bar, lobby lounge, and in-room dining services. Andrés made his NYC debut in 2019 with the opening of Mercado Little Spain at Hudson Yards, a 35,000 square-foot food hall encompassing three restaurants, tapas kiosks, a Spanish goods market, and several bars.
Details here

Food & Dining

In Gramercy’s new Fotografiska museum, Verōnika restaurant takes a creative approach to preservation

Photos by Adrian Gaut

January 28, 2020

In Gramercy’s new Fotografiska museum, Verōnika restaurant takes a creative approach to preservation

On the second floor of the new Fotografiska outpost in Gramercy—a branch of the Swedish photography museum—is a sumptuous new restaurant that's quickly becoming one of the city's most sought-after reservations. Verōnika (named after the patron saint of photography) was designed by Roman and Williams (known for their work on similarly chic Le Coucou, Upland, and La Mercerie) who worked closely with restaurateur Stephen Starr to define the space. Informed by the tradition of grand European cafés, the 150-seat restaurant is filled with elegant details and textures: soaring 20-foot ceilings, warm brass chandeliers, wood-trimmed arched doorways, velvet banquettes, and leather chairs.
Take a closer look

January 14, 2020

Pioneering juice bar Liquiteria appears to shutter all NYC locations

The Liquiteria at Fourth Avenue and 13th Street closed down last week, the last of five remaining New York City locations that have now shuttered, Eater reports. The juice bar chain opened its first location in the East Village at Second Avenue and East 11th Street in 1996, making it an early pioneer in the celebrity-fueled juice craze that eventually followed. There has been no mention of the closures from the company (their social media accounts haven't been active in months or years, depending on the platform) but their website is no longer active and phones at every location are disconnected. The Fourth Avenue storefront appears largely emptied in photos captured by EV Grieve.
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Food & Dining

Midtown East’s newest cocktail bar was designed by SHoP Architects with a nod to old New York glamour

Photos of Bergamo’s by Rachel Vanni

January 13, 2020

Midtown East’s newest cocktail bar was designed by SHoP Architects with a nod to old New York glamour

Busy but relatively dry Midtown East got a new cocktail bar last week with Bergamo’s at 26 Vanderbilt Avenue. Located on the ground floor of the Company building—a tech incubator designed by SHoP Architects—the sprawling 8,530-square-foot lounge was inspired by old New York glamour and features a vaulted ceiling with custom tiles that nod to the historic Guastavino vaults at nearby Grand Central Terminal.
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Food & Dining

The city helps save Queens’ 190-year-old Neir’s Tavern from closing

Photo by CaptJayRuffins on Wikimedia Commons

January 13, 2020

The city helps save Queens’ 190-year-old Neir’s Tavern from closing