When Great Jones Cafe closed in 2018 after 35 years in Noho, writers took to the page to dramatically lament its loss, with one calling it “a place of minor everyday magic disappearing from an island where it feels like the magic is weakening.”
It’s a hell of a legacy to live up to. But starting today, acclaimed restaurateur Gabriel Stulman is giving it a go. Stulman has taken over the space at 54 Great Jones St., between Bowery and Lafayette Street, and has done a complete refresh that’s more in line with his modern, bohemian, everyday brand that includes restaurants like Fairfax and Joseph Leonard.
The tiny dining room — once chock full of eccentricities like a juke box and year round Christmas lights — is now stocked with very 2019 restaurant markers like a communal table, beautifully appointed flowers, and a mahogany leather couch. Some vestiges of Great Jones Cafe do remain, such as the orange and blue exterior and an Elvis bust in the window.
The menu, created by chef and partner Jack Harris, is entirely different, too. Gone are the simple Cajun/Creole dishes like jambalaya and blackened catfish, and in its place is a light and bright seafood menu, more in line with how Stulman and Harris say they like to eat. Dishes include poached head-on prawns with housemade mayo and lemon; tuna carpaccio with olive oil, arugula, fried capers; and a fried cod sandwich inspired by McDonald’s fish fillet. Morning fare features dishes such as a Spanish tortilla, bluefish tartine, pastries, and an omelet. Menus are in full below.
Despite all the changes, Stulman — along with partners James Lauer, Matt Kebbekus, and James McDuffee — is determined to keep the spirit of the place in that it is a neighborhood spot. He’s pulling from his existing restaurants to create that environment here, combining the all-day aspect from Joseph Leonard, the raw bar from Jeffrey’s Grocery, and the living room vibes of Fairfax into one.
“If there’s one throughline, hopefully it’s that Great Jones Cafe was a local neighborhood joint, and I hope that people view our places as neighborhood spots,” he says. “Our goals are not Michelin stars or James Beard Awards. We want to build spots you come to three, four times a week. We want to be your best friend; your favorite pair of jeans. Not your special occasion spot.”
For now, the Jones is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Starting in mid-September, it will be open 7:30 a.m. on weekends too, with dinner service daily at 5 p.m.