Here's a roundup of restaurants that are currently under construction. Do you see a new restaurant opening up in your neighborhood? Send that information to the tipline.
[Photo by Kat Odell]
1) Greenwich Village: Japanese home-style restaurant Ootaya (which some have likened to a Japanese Denny's) is planning an outpost at 11th and University next to Peace Food. No word on when it will open, but this will be the chain's third location in New York next to the ones in Times Square and Chelsea. [PLYWOOD]
2) Clinton Hill:Smorgasburg/Flea vendor The Good Batch will open its first brick and mortar cafe at 936 Fulton Street around Labor Day. Signs in the windows say that the bakery will serve its indulgent ice cream sandwiches, pastries, cookies, and coffee. [Fort Greene Focus]
3) East Village: The Bao, a place dedicated to the traditional soup dumplings of Shanghai, xiao long bao, is coming to the space over Dessert Spot on St. Mark's Place. The location formerly held Korean pub Pan. No word yet on who the owners are. [EV Grieve]
4) Lower East Side: Butcher paper is covering the windows at the old Azul Bistro space. Bowery Boogie hears that Argentine chef Fernando Navas, who worked at Sushi Samba and Nobu, and did a brief stint at El Bulli, has purchased the space and plans to open an Argentinean place called Balvanera. [BB]
5) Park Slope: Rare Earth is coming to the former grilled cheese-centric Melt space on Bergen Street. The menu is divided into ocean, earth, and land categories, and features an entire section dedicated to juice. Owner Muguette Siem A Sjoe, who also owned Melt, plans to start serving dinner and brunch when the spot opens, but the menu announces that lunch is coming soon.
[Park Slope Stoop]
6) Clinton Hill: Roberta's and Blue Hill at Stone Barns alum Gabe McMackin is renovating a space at 212 Greene Avenue that will be called The Finch. Fort Greene Focus hears it will be a 70 seat farm-to-table restaurant. [Fort Greene Focus]