Nightlife Gurus Plot Coconut Yogurt Fast-Casual Chain

What kind of fare does a crew of nightlife impresarios and restaurateurs serve when it opens a fast-casual restaurant? Apparently, non-dairy, coconut-based yogurt.

Next Thursday, the beach-themed Broken Coconut will open its doors in Noho at 15 East 4th Street near Lafayette Street — serving dishes with a dairy-free coconut yogurt that the team created, as well as light fare like grain bowls and overnight oats. The yogurt comes with toppings such as dragon fruit, chia, and coconut flakes or as a smoothie bowl.

It’s a stark change in direction for this team, which is primarily made up of men who have spent a lot of time culling celebrity-favored nightclubs and restaurants. Scott Sartiano is a co-founder of hotspots like 1Oak and Butter; Cobi Levy is also Butter alum who has also been involved in restaurants like Black Seed Bagel and Babu Ji; and William Makris is director of VIP services at clubstaurant king Tao Group.

Despite that boozing background, Sartiano says in a statement that the health thing is a new direction for him, a part of changing interests. Broken Coconut is for “food-conscious urban bohemians” who are interested in wellness, he says. With that in mind, Levy has worked with a nutritionist on a menu with lots of grains, vegetables, and trendier health items like flax seed and collagen. See the full menu below.

And of course, as is the trend with restaurants geared toward these “food-conscious urban bohemians,” the 1,200-square-foot space has a pink neon sign and giant palms in hopes of looking like an “urban beach escape,” according to the restaurant.

The team plans to open several more NYC Broken Coconut locations before the end of the year, and one will open in London soon as well. “People are eating better and healthier now than in the past,” Sartiano says. “This is now becoming the norm, not the exception, and I’m no different.”

Broken Coconut opens on Thursday, October 5th and will be open every day from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. People looking to preview will be able to order from the menu on UberEats from Monday, October 2nd to Wednesday October 4th.