More than seven months into the coronavirus pandemic, restaurants across the city continue to close en masse. More than 1,000 have closed since March due to the financial downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among them are neighborhood favorites like Uncle Boons and Maison Premiere, along with sites of teenage debauchery like FiDi’s China Chalet and the glitzy McDonald’s flagship store off of Times Square.
In all likelihood, though, this is only the beginning of permanent closures in New York, as loans from the Paycheck Protection Program run dry, rent payments continue to mount, and the return to indoor has started at 25 percent capacity. According to a September survey from the New York State Restaurant Association, as many as two-thirds of state’s restaurants could permanently close by the end of the year if they don’t receive additional government aid. Due to the difficulty of tracking restaurant and bar closings right now, experts say that number could be even higher, and will likely only continue to grow.
Below, Eater is documenting the city’s permanent restaurant closures so far. If a restaurant or bar has closed in your neighborhood, send us a photograph and a few lines letting us know how you learned about the closure at tips@eater.com. This post will be updated weekly.
October 30
Astoria: Mexican restaurant Maizal has permanently closed its Astoria outpost. The restaurant’s neighborhood space is currently for sale, but Maizal still operates a location on Staten Island.
Chelsea: Aviation themed sports bar Flight 151 has closed for good. Construction crews are currently at work on revamping the space, and a tipster informs Eater that a new restaurant is going in the space.
Corona: Queens red sauce staple Il Triangolo closed after nearly a decade in the neighborhood. The owner left a heartfelt voicemail for customers informing about the decision to close.
Greenpoint: After 15 years in the neighborhood, Champion Coffee closes its doors for the last time today. The owners made the announcement on Instagram, and are also planning a garage sale for this location on October 31, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Previously, the pandemic had forced the owners to close all three of the mini coffee chain’s Manhattan locations as well. The coffee shop’s Nassau Avenue location, also in Greenpoint, will continue to stay open.
Noho: Sandwich staple Sage Kitchen has permanently closed its physical space on Bowery as a result of the business downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the owners announced on Instagram. The restaurant will continue to operate as a catering and delivery business.
West Village: Following a more than decade-long run, neighborhood pizzeria Kesté permanently closed this past week. The owners made the announcement in a letter to customers. The West Village outpost will continue with local deliveries, and customers can still visit the pizzeria’s outpost in the Financial District.
October 23
East Village: Following an eight-year run in the neighborhood, fast casual teriyaki spot Glaze has closed its East Village outpost. A leasing sign now hangs in the window, but diners can still visit Glaze at its two other NYC locations in Williamsburg and Midtown.
Flatiron District: Known for the knowledgeable bartenders that whipped up exciting drinks, Rye House has permanently closed. The bar initially shutdown in March due to the state-mandated coronavirus shutdown, and does not appear to have reopened since. A for rent sign now hangs in the window.
Flatiron District: Massive French-Italian restaurant Italienne appears to have closed. Both OpenTable and Yelp report it as permanently closed, and the restaurant’s phone line has been disconnected. The restaurant appears dark and the curtains in the front have remained drawn for a while.
Flatiron District: Casual pan-Asian restaurant Chop Shop has permanently closed its Flatiron location. The restaurant has remained shuttered since March, and there are no plans to reopen it, according to a restaurant staffer. The original Chelsea location still remains open.
Flatiron District: Sports bar and barbecue restaurant the Hog Pit has permanently closed. The owners made the announcement on Instagram.
October 16
Astoria: Beloved restaurant Queens Comfort closed its doors on October 11 after more than nine years on 30th Avenue. Owner Donald D’Alessia announced the restaurant’s closure in a post to Instagram, citing the financial strain of operating a business with limited outdoor seating.
Hells Kitchen: Neighborhood cake shop Cakes n Shapes has closed after 33 years in Hell’s Kitchen, owner Edie Connolly tells Eater.
Flatiron District: Hanjan, the well-reviewed sequel to chef Hooni Kim’s popular Danji, has permanently closed after eight years on West 26th Street. A “restaurant for rent” sign hangs in the building’s front window, and an employee confirmed that the restaurant’s lease had ended. Hanjan is still serving meal kits from Danji in Midtown, which remains open for takeout and outdoor dining.
Long Island City: West Village burger destination Corner Bistro has closed its Long Island City offshoot. The restaurant temporarily closed its doors in March due to the state-mandated shutdown on indoor dining but continued to serve food for takeout for the next few weeks, according to neighboring restaurateurs. The original Manhattan location of the restaurant, opened by Bill O’Donnell in 1961, remains open for takeout.
Soho: Asian-American diner Mooncake Foods appears to be leaving its longtime home on Sixth Avenue. The restaurant’s phone line has been disconnected and a “for rent” sign now hangs in its front window.
October 9
Bay Ridge: The owners of La Sorrentina Ristorante in Bay Ridge announced the restaurant’s permanent closure after 25 years in April.
Bay Ridge: After 40 years of business, Bay Ridge’s iconic Embers Steak House has permanently closed. Late restaurateur Louis Rocanelli opened Vinnie’s Meat Market in 1954 and opened Embers next door more than three decades later in 1985. The restaurant, which Zagat once likened to a more affordable Peter Luger, is now for sale online.
Bay Ridge: South Brooklyn restaurant My Thai closed its doors in May after more than a dozen years of business on Third Avenue. “To our valued customers and friends, after 13 years in business, we have made the difficult decision to close our doors on May 31, 2020,” the owners shared in a post to Facebook from May.
East Village: Celebrity chef Eddie Huang has closed Baohaus, the NYC restaurant that launched his career in the food industry and established him as an influential media personality amplifying Asian-American representation. Huang made the announcement on his Instagram account writing that he tried to keep the restaurant open as long he could
Greenwich Village: Specialty salt and chocolate shop the Meadow has permanently closed, according to a notice on its front door. The Hudson Street store, known for its global selection of salt in countless varieties, celebrated 10 years of business earlier this year.
Hell’s Kitchen: Irish bar Lansdowne Road has permanently closed, according to an announcement on its website. The restaurant’s owners maintain two additional bars in the neighborhood, Hellcat Annie’s and Scruffy Duffy’s.
Hell’s Kitchen: Swiss restaurant and cocktail bar Mont Blanc 52 has closed for good, co-owners Elisabeth and Balz Eggimann announced in an email to customers. “It is with tremendous sadness and regret that, due to the effects of Pandemic Covid-19, we have made the decision to close the doors of Mont Blanc 52 permanently,” the Eggimanns wrote.
Lower East Side: Eight-year-old Mediterranean restaurant Mezetto appears to have closed for good. At the onset of the pandemic in March, the restaurant’s owners announced its temporary closure in a post to Instagram. There’s been no official word from the restaurant since then, but according to local blog Bowery Boogie the space is now listed on Craigslist for “immediate occupancy.”
Midtown: After a festive 25-year run in Midtown East, Maloney and Porcelli has permanently closed its doors. The new American steakhouse from the Quality Branded team announced the closure in a post to its website.
Park Slope: Another of Brooklyn’s famed neighborhood diners, Dizzy’s, closes this week after 22 years. Longtime owner Matthew Pisciotta announced the closure in a post to Instagram last month, citing financial strain from the coronavirus pandemic. “I knew what I needed to make every month to pay my expenses, and there was no way that was going to happen,” Pisciotta told the Brooklyn Paper.
Park Slope: French-influenced izakaya Mori closed its doors in August after two years in the neighborhood. The restaurant has plans to reopen at another location by 2022, and is offering next-day grocery delivery through Asian Veggies in the meantime.
Park Slope: Neighborhood American restaurant the Douglass poured its final pint after four years. The owners of the restaurant announced that the restaurant would not be reopening in a post to Facebook in July, citing the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic.
Tribeca: Church Street’s charming Sole di Capri has permanently closed. The restaurant, known for its “damn good food,” was a favorite among locals and tourists, who could eat Italian food on top of the restaurant’s printed tablecloths, which featured photos of Italian food. Eduard Erazo, the restaurant’s owner of 14 years, confirmed the closure to local blog Tribeca Citizen.
Union Square: The owners of bustling Vietnamese restaurant Saigon Market announced its closure earlier this week. Despite trying “our best to survive through this,” the restaurant’s owners say they were unable to keep the larger of their two locations open. Saigon Grill and Bar remains open at 4521 Avenue N, near East 46th Street in Flatlands.
Upper East Side: Neighborhood haunt the Writing Room has permanently closed six years after it opened in the space formerly occupied by Elaine’s, a historic Upper East Side institution that hosted artists including John Lennon and Andy Warhol. “Ultimately the challenge of operating a casual fine dining restaurant through the Covid-19 restrictions proved to be too much to overcome,” owners Michael and Susy Glick shared in a post to Instagram this week.
Upper West Side: Elaborate pastry and desserts maker Macaron Parlour has permanently closed its Upper West Side outpost, citing a downturn in business in the neighborhood. “We couldn’t balance all the costs of running a business with the challenges of doing so in a neighborhood and landscape that is vastly different than the one we signed up for,” co-owners Christina Ha and Emilie Legrand shared in a post to Facebook. The restaurant has another location on the Lower East Side, which has yet to reopen.
Williamsburg: Neighborhood bar and pizzeria Evil Olive has permanently closed after nearly two decades of business. Owner Jason Tennant opened the first incarnation of the restaurant, then called Jarrods, in August 2001, three months before 9/11. The restaurant and its hidden speakeasy Geraldines are now permanently closed, Tennant confirmed in a post to Facebook.
October 2
Boerum Hill: Bike shop-turned general store Regular Visitors, which was also a neighborhood coffee haunt, closed in early September after four years.
Boerum Hill: Longtime neighborhood restaurant Building on Bond and its adjacent Bar Robert have permanently closed. The owner cited an “uncooperative landlord,” in an Instagram post from September 22, as the reason for the closure.
Chelsea: Korean restaurant Hanshik has closed for good after a little less than a year on Eighth Avenue. A sign that reads “permanently closed” is posted to the restaurant’s front door.
Dyker Heights: Legendary Italian spot Colandrea New Corner has permanently closed. The pandemic factored into the decision to shut down the 84-year-old restaurant, but further details about the reason behind the closure weren’t disclosed. The Brooklyn mainstay, known for its classic Italian menu of seafood and pasta dishes, has been featured in several movies and T.V. shows in recent years, including Netflix’s The Irishman.
East Village: After nearly two years of business, Pado has permanently closed. The restaurant’s owners announced the closure in an Instagram post this week, citing the inability to reach an agreement with the building’s landlord. “We will strive to find a new place and we will share this information as soon as it is available for you,” the restaurant shared in the post.
East Village: Cozy neighborhood bar Eliza’s Local, named after Alexander Hamilton’s wife Eliza Hamilton, has permanently closed, ownership announced on Instagram. The bar was in the neighborhood for just under two years.
Greenpoint: New Orleans-inspired bar Magazine has closed a year and a half after it opened. The bar’s owners noted on Instagram that the store’s landlord wasn’t willing to negotiate on the rent, and the bar closed for good on September 30.
Greenwich Village: The Meatball Shop location at 64 Greenwich Avenue appears to have permanently closed down. There’s a for rent sign hanging in its window, and the location is no longer listed on the Meatball Shop’s website.
Hell’s Kitchen: All-bacon restaurant Bar Bacon appears to have permanently closed both its Hell’s Kitchen and Union Square locations. The restaurant’s last social media post was in March, soon after the state-mandated shutdown of restaurants and bars due to the novel coronavirus. Phones at both locations have been disconnected.
Lower East Side: Quirky subterranean bar Nitecap permanently closed this week, ownership announced on Instagram. “COVID-19 and its tidal wave of destruction have left us unable to find a path forward,” the owners said in the post. The bar is hosting a series of fundraisers to help pay off six months of back rent that accumulated during the pandemic, plus four months of rent that it owes until its lease expires.
Park Slope: Wine bar Camperdown Elm appears to have permanently closed. The restaurant’s website is down, and phone calls to the establishment went unanswered.
Park Slope: Casual pan-Asian spot Mori closed permanently at the end of August. The restaurant plans to return in 2022 or sooner if ownership secures a new location.
Union Square: Manhattan health food restaurant Hu Kitchen appears to have closed, according to the Infatuation. Yelp and Google both indicate that the restaurant has permanently closed, while its phone number has been disconnected.
Upper West Side: The West End Lounge, a neighborhood gathering place for drinks and live performances, will not be reopening. The venue had been the source of neighborhood controversy for several years, with some residents saying the bar was too loud for a residential building. Owner John Daniel Forslund had managed to win regulatory approval by adding brunch and coffee services to the venue. “The irony that we had JUST won our 2-year long battle with Community Board 7 right before Covid is not lost on me,” Forslund said in a post on Facebook announcing the closure.
Upper West Side: Longtime neighborhood diner Old John’s Luncheonette appears to have closed for good. A for rent sign now hangs in the window.
Williamsburg: Local breakfast favorite Egg closed this week. Owner George Weld attributed the closure to the financial downturn caused by the coronavirus crisis.
Williamsburg: Brothers Max and Eli Sussman have permanently shut down their well-liked casual Middle Eastern restaurant, Samesa. The restaurant gave food away for free after announcing the closure on Instagram.
Washington Heights: Longstanding neighborhood spot Vicky’s Diner has permanently closed, Patch reports. A GoFundMe set up by community fans raised over $15,000 in support of the former owner and the laid-off employees.