Jose Garces’ Only Remaining NYC Restaurant Sold As Part of $8M Deal

Sale of Jose Garces’ restaurant group goes through

After filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this year, Jose Garces put his restaurant group Garces Group up for sale. 3BM1 purchased the restaurant portfolio for $8 million in cash and assumed liabilities in a sale approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Camden on Tuesday night. Two of his Philadelphia restaurants — 24 and Garces Trading Company — will shutter immediately as a result. In addition to his Philly restaurants, 3BM1 now controls the management contracts for Ortzi in NYC. His NYC location of Amada closed earlier this year following a quiet two years.

Pete Davidson and Ariana Grande spotted eating Italian food on Staten Island

The newly engaged lovebirds Pete Davidson and Ariana Grande paid a visit to Davidson’s home borough of Staten Island this week, and SI Live put in the work to figure out exactly where they dined in a very important investigation. The conclusion: The celeb couple went to Nucci’s, located at 4842 Arthur Kill Rd. in Charleston, Staten Island, where they took photos with fans and even danced between entrees. Grande apparently was a fan of the Staten Island experience, posting on Instagram that it was the most fun she ever had.

Bluestone Lane launches major global expansion plan

Australian-style cafe Bluestone Lane secured funding to double its number of locations from 30 to 60. Those 30 new cafes will open across 10 cities in the next two years, including in Boston and Austin, Texas. The funding comes from RSE Ventures, a private investment firm that has also invested in Momofuku, Milk Bar, and &pizza.

An opening and a re-opening

LES has a new vegan desserts shop called Rawsome Treats, located at 158 Orchard St. It comes from a former Muay Thai fighter. Also in the neighborhood, Epstein’s Bar at 82 Stanton St. re-opened after a short-lived revival attempt in January. But the bar is still embroiled in an ongoing lawsuit with local block association LES Dwellers.

Critic has had it with fancy cocktail ingredients

The Post’s Steve Cuozzo is so over over-the-top cocktail ingredients this summer. “We once went to restaurants and bars to relax,” he writes. “Cocktails were the easy way out to avoid navigating endless wine lists full of unfamiliar names. Now, libation lists are full of obscure items of which you’ve never heard.” Understanding what’s in a drink apparently now requires an expertise in botany, the critic laments, and even beer lists have become baroque, too. He recommends sticking to a house red.