It’s now a new year, but the changes in the neighborhood continued during the holiday season with the closure of both a Greenpoint pizzeria and a longtime neighborhood shop in Williamsburg, along a few business openings.
Closures:
Greenpoint appears to be down one spectacular pizza spot as the Paul Giamatti approved Ria Bella (1049 Manhattan Ave.), which opened in 2014, has been closed since early December.
The Sicilian style pies were reason enough to venture to the northernmost stretch of Manhattan Avenue, and concerned customers have contacted Greenpointers asking if the business is reopening as no official closing announcement was made. We reached out to the owners and are waiting to hear back, but Ria Bella’s Yelp page lists the business as closed.
Over in Williamsburg, Fuego 718 Store (249 Grand St.), a neighborhood shop with colorful handmade goods from Mexico and around the world opened in 2004 and closed last week after 16 years of business.
The business was profiled by the NY Times in 2015, and owner Alex Aldama posted a thank you note to the community announcing the closure last September:
My gratitude to you is huge and indescribable!
What a great pleasure to have walked with you and the hand of so many artisans, artists, women and men whose creations and art have pulled a smile from our lips, they have brought us happiness to our lives and the lives of those we love so much!
Openings:
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Over the past decade, luxury development has proliferated around East River State Park, but dive bar prices can now be found on the corner of N. 8th Street and Kent Avenue at Dolly’s Swing and Dive (101 Kent Ave.), the newest Williamsburg watering hole complete with a jukebox and a throwback vibe to the 1930s – 1970s.
To complement the reasonably-priced drinks, the menu features pub classics like house-baked pretzels and smaller bites like vegetarian taquitos. Winter hours (Nov. 1st – April 1st) are Mon. – Fri. from 3 p.m. – 4 a.m., and Sat. – Sun. from 12 p.m. – 4 a.m.
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Just a quick walk up Kent Avenue to the corner of Grand Street, Two Hands (262 Kent Ave.), also celebrated its grand opening last week. The Australian-inspired restaurant has a clean, Instagram-friendly aesthetic likely to draw a brunch crowd seeking out avocado toast and açaà bowls.
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Other locations of Two Hands are in NoLita, NoHo, and TriBeCa, and an Austin, TX location is also in the works.