Lower East Side Italian Standby Gaia Returns After Brief Fire-Induced Hiatus

Neighborhood staple Gaia Italian Cafe is slated to open again today, pouring cappuccinos like nothing ever happened, reports Bowery Boogie. The place closed down a couple of weeks ago when a fire tore through the building's roof and the firemen's hoses caused some serious damage to the space. Owner Gaia Bagnasacco announced the return on Facebook over the weekend. Hopefully, the restaurant will stick around. Last year Bagnasacco threatened to close because customers were driving her nuts.