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Keeping Tabs on Hurricane Sandy's Restaurant Damage

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Basement pumping and cleanup at Red Hook Bait & Tackle.
Basement pumping and cleanup at Red Hook Bait & Tackle.
Lockhart Steele

The full effect of Hurricane Sandy on the region's restaurants won't really be known for days, weeks, or even months from now. But in many ways the picture is starting to come into focus: bars and restaurants in some neighborhoods experienced devastating flooding and wind damage, while many others throughout the city are structurally fine but now have to deal with several days of lost food and income due to the ongoing power outage.

One great way anyone can help New York's restaurants is by visiting the restaurants that have been able to reopen, and continuing to visit and support them for the months ahead. Eater will update this list as relief events and other ways to help arise, so if you know of, or are a part of a restaurant that has been affected by Hurricane Sandy, or if you hear of relief needs and opportunities, please do let us know.

Any and all affected restaurants should of course apply for disaster assistance to help with damages.

4:30 p.m., Thursday:

Red Hook Relief: Grub Street reports that owner Nicky Defonte has reopened his sandwich shop Defonte's under generator power, while Matt Lewis's dessert shop Baked flooded and lost power for several days. Baked and others have organized under the banner Red Hook Rebuilds to coordinate the rebuilding process for the area's small businesses and the the Red Hook Initiative is best starting point for helping out in the area. At this point the greatest need is for bottled water, candles, matches, and flashlights. They're collecting at 767 Hicks St. until 10 p.m.

The Stand: This new Gramercy comedy club-cocktail bar-restaurant is without power but otherwise fine. It's hosting an event tomorrow night at 7 p.m., featuring cocktails and comedy by candlelight, with drink specials and donations taken at the door to go towards Sandy relief.

The Water Club: A tipster writes in: "I work at The River Cafe's sister restaurant the Waterclub on the east river by 30th street. heavy flood damage and wind damage. closed indefinitely."

Delmonico's: Owner Dennis Turcinovic tells the Times: "The water picked everything up and spun it round. It was almost like a 'Wizard of Oz' effect. One of the refrigerators ended up in a private dining room." Despite that, Turcinovic expects to be open within a day or two of regaining power.

More on the South Street Seaport: The Epoch Times checks in with businesses in the #ZoneA neighborhood. The Sea-Horse has had about half a million dollars' worth of damage and will have to be almost completely rebuilt, while Meade's Restaurant at Peck Slip and Water Street similarly lost almost everything. Meade's will need to buy all-new equipment for the restaurant.

Red: This Fulton Street restaurant found its outdoor bar down over a block away. The restaurant is currently closed "until further notice."

Thirty Acres: The Jersey City restaurant by a bunch of Momofuku alumni?dubbed a "mom-and-pop Momofuku" by the Robs last month?spent four days without power but has gotten electricity back. The team there hopes to be back open tomorrow with a limited menu, though Manhattanites won't be able to get to Jersey City for a little while.

Back Forty: Robert Sietsema reports that the original, Avenue B location of Peter Hoffman's restaurant sustained three feet of floodwater in the basement, ruining most of the paper goods and all of the food. Back Forty West made it unscathed, so once that's open Hoffman's fans can help out by eating there.

Harbor Light Pub: This Rockaway bar sustained damage typical of the area: devastating.


2:45 p.m., Wednesday:

Fort Defiance: Significant flooding in basement. Fort Defiance and other Red Hook restaurants are holding a cookout right now, at the corner of Van Brunt and Pioneer. It's open to the public, and to help out the Red Hook restaurants people can bring: headlamps, battery lanterns, cases of water, charcoal, bleach, and contractor bags.

The Odeon: This Tribeca bistro suffered a broken window.

Governor: There was significant flooding in the kitchen and dining room of the Dumbo restaurant. Currently closed.

The River Café: This Michelin-starred restaurant suffered flooding in kitchen and dining room, which destroyed all of the kitchen appliances except the range. Millions of dollars' worth of damage. Currently closed.

Grimaldi's Coney Island: Coney Island took a beating, with floodwatersdamaging the dining room at the outpost of this Dumbo icon. Currently closed.

Red Hook Lobster Pound: At least $100,000 in damage. Owners hope to reopen in three to four weeks, and expect a reopening party when that happens. Until the brick-and-mortar reopens, tweet at them to see how you can help.

Il Tinello: Damaged awning at this Midtown restaurant. Currently closed.

Tribeca Grill: Flooding, further damage unknown.

Perry St: Flooding in basement kitchen and office area, plus flooding on ground level.

Tony's Pier Restaurant: This City Island restaurant was completely destroyed in a fire. Its owners plan to rebuild as soon as possible.

Aqua Grill: Wind damage to the awning, possibly to the facade at this SoHo spot.

Wafels & Dinges: The forthcoming brick-and-mortar in the East Village lost its construction shed.

Luckydog: The Williamsburg spot sufffered a damaged canopy.

Mile End: Made it through the storm fine enough, though the bakery and smokehouse were lost to the storm.

F&M Café & Restaurant: Like most businesses in Red Hook, took on significant amounts of water and is currently closed.

South Street Seaport: As Eater founder Lockhart Steele reported earlier, all of the bars and restaurants here took on water and remain closed. Damage ranges from the less severe (Fresh Salt) to the more awful (Barbarini Alimentari).

The River Café

1 Water Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201 (718) 522-5200 Visit Website

Mile End

97A Hoyt Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217 Visit Website

The Odeon

145 West Broadway, Manhattan, NY 10013 (212) 233-0507 Visit Website

Governor

15 Main Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201 718 858 4756