Smorgasburg Founders Get Into the Real Restaurant Game

Moving away from their usual line of work, Smorgasburg co-founders Eric Demby and Jonathan Butler are opening a restaurant in Dumbo. Come late August, Harborcoat will open at 66 Water Street, though that’s about as far as the two have gotten.

There’s no concept or chef yet for the restaurant, though Demby tells AM New York that 180 Tenth, their summer High Line pop-up, is a good indicator of what to expect. So taking cues from that menu, it’s pretty innocuous dishes like oysters, charcuterie, a burger, and lots of vegetables, which fits into Demby saying they want the restaurant to be “welcoming and cozy and accessible to neighbors, tourists and area workers” — AKA everyone in the entire world.

It’s a departure from the foods found at Smorgasburg, which has consistently churned out novelty food after novelty food, like the ramen burger or spaghetti doughnut. Though the two have had success with that format, they couldn’t resist the allure of a restaurant, they said.

The pair is certainly busy, with 180 Tenth, a Soho Smorgasburg in the works, a Brooklyn Flea move, and the plain old Smorgasburgs in Brooklyn. Stay tuned for more on Harborcoat in the weeks to come.

• Smorgasburg co-founders Eric Demby and Jonathan Butler to open DUMBO eatery [AMNY]
• Smorgasburg Extends Manhattan Footprint With Seasonal Restaurant on High Line [ENY]
• Soho, Get Ready for Smorgasburg [ENY]