Sadly, two North Brooklyn eateries are closing this month.
Williamsburg’s Ensenada (168 Borinquen Place) announced that it will close its doors on October 26.
The Mexican seafood spot from Bryce David, the owner of cocktail bar Black Flamingo, opened in early 2022 with a menu of sustainably-sourced seafood and rotating mezcals from David’s partner Executive Chef Luis Herrera and Beverage Director Jorsand Diaz, who both hail from Manhattan hotspot Cosme.
Ensenada told Greenpointers that the closure has nothing to do with rent increases, like we have seen with other North Brooklyn restaurants. Ensenada is closing due to “a decrease in sales and an increase in operation costs.”
Ensenada announced the closure on Instagram, thanking the restaurant staff and “every person that helped make Ensenada something very cool and very fun for not the longest run in NY’s history but for a very special and unforgettable life experience.”
The post also mentioned a “gathering” after the dinner service on October 26, asking readers to “stay tuned.”
Rita’s Pizza and Provisions (160 Huron St.) will also close this month. After a rocky start, the Greenpoint pizzeria is closing permanently on October 19 after being fully open for less than a year.
Rita’s first opened about a year ago last October for only two weeks before abruptly closing and then reopening months later in February of this year.
Rita’s owner Jimmy Kunz is a Greenpoint local and the founder of The Truffleist, a popular brand of truffle butter, truffle oil, truffle honey and other truffle condiments, which are sold in the small grocery section of his pizzeria.
The pizzeria is known for its original pies like La Rita, a pizza topped with orange marmalade reduction, caramelized onions, fontina, fresh thyme and duck prosciutto. Other unique pies include French Onion Soup, Reuben, Cordon Bleu, and Loaded Baked Potato.
Rita’s announced the closure with only an Instagram story. In it, Rita’s humbly thanked its customers by writing, “we want to extend our deepest gratitude to our loyal guests, neighbors and friends who have supported us since day one.”
Ensenada was phenomenal, one of the few good seafood restaurants in the area. I think some serious questions need to be posed to the mayoral candidates about how they plan to keep small businesses afloat, this is getting ridiculous.
In NYC, t takes approximately 24 months for a bar/restaurant to turn a profit. Most close within 18 months because they don’t. Ensenada lasted just a little bit longer before succumbing to its inevitable demise.
“Ensenada is closing due to “a decrease in sales and an increase in operation costs.””
Yeah, that’s what usually happens when there is no business.
You can also chalk up these and other closings to the fact that the “quirky new take on the classic (fill in with whatever type of food establishment that comes to mind)” trope has worn out its welcome. People want to eat in places that serve normal, affordable fare, not artsy-fartsy, pretentiously designed pretty dishes which are more art project than something edible.
Landlords are demanding too much. Rents are too high, wages are not going up enough. At some point this comes to a head. Not everyone is a trust funder.