Fast-Casual IHOP Spinoff Selling To-Go Bowls of Pancakes Debuts in NYC

Though there are at least a dozen IHOP locations already in New York City, Manhattan will now be home to the chain’s new fast-casual restaurant called Flip’d. Opening today, December 15, Flip’d by IHOP is located in Flatiron at 110 East 23rd Street, near Park Avenue South.

The offshoot is intended to be a more fast-casual version of the pancake house: instead of table service, ordering is done from kiosks. Robert “Don Pooh” Cummins of Brooklyn Dumpling Shop (another fast-growing chain known for its expedited service, inspired by automats), is behind the brand’s first East Coast outpost of Flip’d.

The main focus here are to-go pancake bowls, as well as breakfast sandwiches, burgers, and more. Business Insider reports that the company is also looking into making select Flip’d locations open 24/7, though this particular Manhattan outpost will be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week, for the foreseeable future.

MeMe’s Diner co-owner Bill Clark is back to baking in Brooklyn for one day only

MeMe’s Diner closed in November 2020, leaving many New Yorkers heartbroken. After a year of focusing his efforts primarily on a recipe newsletter A Piece of Cake, former Meme’s co-owner is back in Brooklyn for a one-day-only event on Saturday, December 18, at Greenpoint’s new shop for dinner party essentials, Big Night. The menu features holiday desserts like an egg nog sheet cake, as well as take-and-bake pigs-in-garlic-bread. Pre-ordering is now live, though walk-ups can also order day-of.

A new, artist-inspired line of donuts at Fan-Fan

Fany Gerson’s line-inducing donut shop — so popular it already got a name drop in the Gossip Girl reboot — is launching a new, limited-edition run of flavors on Friday, December 17. For $20, you’ll get a box of four donuts, inspired by the work of local street artist Kuki — whose work focuses on tape — available to order at the shop until this Sunday. The windows at Fan-Fan Donuts are already looking on-theme with a colorful, criss-crossing tape installation.

A massive COVID outbreak hits Michelin-starred Marea

According to the New York Post, an outbreak of COVID-19 infected at least 20 staff members of the Michelin-starred Manhattan restaurant, causing it to temporarily shut down. After a “massive disinfection,” a restaurant representative tells the Post that Marea is set to reopen today.