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The team behind lively East Village spots the Wayland and Good Night Sonny are bringing their Chelsea all-day cafe the Wild Son to East Village — though plans for a steakhouse have been nixed. Instead, Robert Ceraso and Jason Mendenhall will just open a second Wild Son at 132 First Ave., at St. Mark’s Place.
Ceraso tells Eater that the new Wild Son will serve day and night menus similar to that of the original location, which opened in 2016. The original serves all-day eats focused on grains, vegetables, meat, and fish to a bright, plant-filled space on the High Line. Though it serves food at night, it’s much more of a day-time, chill concept than the team’s East Village late-night party bar the Wayland, and the new iteration will bring some of those same laid-back vibes to the neighborhood.
Wild Son in the East Village will also similarly highlight fresh juices in its cocktail program. The space here is a bit bigger, with table seating for 35 and a seven-seat bar. Expect salads, seafood, pasta, and lots of vegetables. The kitchen will be overseen by chef-partner Chad Shaner, who has previous experience at Gotham Bar and Grill, Union Square Cafe, and his own restaurant Freeks Mill in Brooklyn.
While EV Grieve previously reported that the team is also plotting a grill and steakhouse for 123 St. Mark’s Pl., Ceraso tells Eater that those plans have changed slightly due to the community board’s rejection of a full liquor license for the space.
They felt the steakhouse concept would only work with a full liquor license and are now pivoting to something that could work with just wine and beer, Ceraso says. That idea is still in development and moving forward with the location is not a definite yet according to Ceraso. He also says plans for a steakhouse are on hold since it would require finding a new space.
The team already runs popular cocktail spots the Wayland, the Lost Lady, and Good Night Sonny in East Village, and the new Wild Son will add to their mini neighborhood restaurant empire.
