Restaurants come and restaurants go with increasing regularity—I’m personally still mourning the loss of Lomzynianka. And 2016 didn’t go out without a few shocks to our neighborhood restaurant scene. Some beloved spots quietly served their last meals and closed up shop while we were all busy celebrating the holidays. On the bright side, more than a few new places have opened last year like Greenpoint Avenue’s Hail Mary, Cherry Point with its excellent charcuterie, high-end Leuca in the William Vale, River Styx transformed into 21 Greenpoint, and now we have two fried chicken joints with Brooklyn Star in the Brooklyn Night Bazaar and Pretty Southern on Bedford Ave. Plus at least one big one, A/D/O, is on the way, and they are all ready to comfort our souls over the losses.
Cafecito Bogota (1015 Manhattan Avenue) – After a decade of serving up their perfect arepas and classic Colombiano dishes, Cafecito Bogota vacated their Manhattan Avenue locale on December 12th supposedly over rent. Their cheap, boozy brunch will be incredibly missed and I hope they found good homes for all the plants.
Cassette (113 Franklin Street) – The French-Catalonian menu and chill vibe made Cassette a great choice for relaxing dinners and brunch, and was just hitting its stride with the neighborhood after being open for a year. Alas, it was not meant to be. They closed in mid-November, but you still may see signs of life inside. The space is staying open as a private venue.
Jimmy’s (92 Calyer Street) – The sting of Jimmy’s closing is only slightly helped by the fact that we can easily walk to the sister diner in Williamsburg. According to owner Josh Cohen, it was another case of the financials not working out. They “thoroughly enjoyed our entire run [and] send a special thanks to everyone who has supported us.”
Luksus (615 Manhattan Avenue) – Daniel Burns and Luksus have gotten a lotta love as our neighborhood’s real “high-end” option, especially after he received a Michelin star. But in mid-December, he and Tørst announced that the restaurant would be closed by the end of the month. The bar will expand into the back space and the actual kitchen will survive, so you’ll still be able to get bites.