Amid all of the recent high-profile businesses closing (H&H! Borders! Cafe Con Leche!) on the Upper West Side, a bunch of new restaurants are preparing to open up shop or have just opened in the neighborhood. So don’t despair. One of my favorite tipsters, Daren, recently snapped some shots of new restaurants that are close to opening their doors and sent them to us. If you see anything opening up in the neighborhood, please let us know!
Hummus Kitchen: The Mediterranean chain (“Hummus is our passion”) is preparing to open up at 416 Amsterdam Avenue, on the corner of 80th Street. The new restaurant will be its fourth location in the city (after midtown, the Upper East Side and Murray Hill. The spot used to be occupied by Allan & Suzi, a boutique.
Imi Sushi: The corner of 92nd Street and Amsterdam Avenue is like a sushi burial ground. First the beloved Yuki Sushi shut its doors about two years ago, then Kikuchi Sushi opened up at the spot, but it also closed this spring after about a year. Now, a new restaurant, Imi Sushi, is trying to break the string of bad luck. It opened last week. Third spicy salmon roll’s a charm?
Blockheads: The burrito chain is planning to open up at 175 West 90th Street this October, writes @reporterleslie. The restaurant got the Community Board’s approval for a liquor license at a hearing this month. Blockheads already has a location at 107th and Amsterdam. The chain is known for its burritos, but it also serves burgers and shakes and has a full bar.
Spices and Tease: Although TeaGschwendner may have left us, a new tea and spice shop is on its way to rescue all the tea aficionados in the neighborhood. According to Food and Things, Spices and Tease will open between 97th and 98th Streets on Broadway “mid-summer”, sporting 180 varieties of teas, and tons of spices including including 18 different peppers. It will also serve pastries. And no, despite the name it does not double as a strip club.
Simply Divine: A new Kosher dairy cafe has opened up at the JCC on 75th Street and Amsterdam and while have its full launch in September. My Upper West says the cafe serves coffee, pastries, sandwiches, salads and mac n’ cheese, among other items.
Fatty Crab Cart: The Malaysian restaurant just opened a food cart at Central Park’s famous Bethesda Fountain, selling pulled pork, smoked chicken salad sandwiches and black-eyed peas, among other dishes, DNAinfo reported. Th cart is open daily from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. Dovetail’s John Fraser has also reportedly spoken to the parks department about setting up shop at Bethesda Fountain.
And an exciting possible future opening:
Momofuku Milk Bar: The dessert spot spun out of the Momofuku noodle restaurants by hotshot chef David Chang is considering opening a location on the Upper West Side, although its interest still seems pretty preliminary, according to DNAinfo.
For more recent openings and closings, click here.
All photos by tipster Daren.
Deli on the southwest corner of 106th and Amsterdam has closed. Sign posted on the site, which is being gut renovated (looks like that to me) says Mario’s or something like that. I didn’t take a picture.
Spices and Tease, spice store and tea in New York
Now bringing its “heavenly aromas” to the UWS, Grand Central and Chelsea Market, this merchant offers the same “plethora” of “interesting teas” and “fresh spices” (including 30 housemade blends) that have drawn raves at street markets for years; expect some 180 loose-leaf teas, including exotics like strawberry-rhubarb, plus an assortment of dried herbs, flavored sugars, salts and peppers, all overseen by a staff willing to “guide you” if the choices seem “overwhelming.”
spicesandtease.com