A Running List of Restaurants That Closed in New York City

More than one year after New York’s first indoor dining shutdown, restaurants and bars continue to close their doors. At least 1,000 have closed since March 2020 due to the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Among them are newer neighborhood favorites like Uncle Boons and MeMe’s diner, along with decades-old institutions including 21 Club, Fedora, and Frank’s Cocktail Lounge.

In all likelihood, the list of permanent closures will only continue to grow in New York, as rent payments continue to mount and restaurants attempt to weather the upcoming months on takeout, delivery, and limited indoor dining. In September, a survey from the New York State Restaurant Association predicted that as many as two-thirds of the state’s restaurants could permanently close by the end of that year if they did not 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 take months or even years to assess.

Below, Eater is documenting the city’s permanent restaurant closures so far. If a restaurant or bar has closed in your neighborhood, let us know at tips@eater.com. This post will be updated regularly.

April 30

East Village: Gay bar the Cock is leaving the East Village after over twenty years, EV Grieve reports. The bar is relocating to the Lower East Side after running up against lease issues, including rent price and term length, with its landlord in its current location.

Gramercy Park: Italian restaurant Lamarca, a Gramercy staple that was only open on weekdays and sold plates of gnocchi, tagliatelle, and cavatappi for under $20, permanently closed its doors earlier this month. The adjacent cheese shop will shut down at the end of May, according to a shop employee.

Lower East Side: Neighborhood mainstay the Masalawala — one of the first restaurants that owner Roni Mazumdar opened in NYC — has permanently shut down after 10 years. Mazumdar and restaurant group Unapologetic Foods decided not to renew the lease at the long-running LES location, which was known for a laid-back menu of Kolkata-focused curries, biryani, and street snacks. The group maintains a second location of the Masalawala in Long Island City, and there’s an upcoming Brooklyn outpost in the works.

Williamsburg: Bagock Fried Chicken & Doughnuts, an acclaimed counter-service joint from chef Gillian Clark that sold chicken-stuffed doughnuts and chicken and doughnut combos, has permanently shut down. Clark tells Eater New York that she’s exploring reopening the restaurant as a delivery-only shop in the future, and is in the process of fundraising to grow the brand post-pandemic.

April 23

Bayside: American-Italian restaurant D’Alessandro’s Corner Grill appears to be leaving Bell Boulevard. The restaurant’s phone line and website have been disconnected, while Yelp indicates it has permanently closed. Eater has reached out on Instagram for more information.

East Village: All-tap wine bar Lois is permanently shutting down, according to owners Nora O’Malley and Phoebe Connell. But it is not all bad news: As Lois winds down, O’Malley and Connell are handing the keys over to longtime friend and sake expert Austin Power, who will be reopening the space as Accidental Bar in the coming months.

Lower East Side: Craft beer destination Top Hops has closed its flagship LES shop. “The virus has impacted all of us, but that’s not why we’re moving on,” owners Ted Kenney and Christina Cahill wrote in an email to customers earlier this month. “We’ve reached an agreement with our landlord that offers us great flexibility, making now the right time to find a new perfect location.” The duo is seeking out a new location for the beer shop in the neighborhood, while its satellite stores in the Essex Market and Urbanspace food hall in Midtown East will remain open.

Upper East Side: Stylish coffee shop Irving Farm has permanently closed its outpost on the Upper East Side. Other locations in the city — including the Upper West Side, Gramercy Park, Washington Square, and Nomad — remain open.

April 9

Chelsea: Korean restaurant Zusik has permanently shut down after two years, ownership announced on Instagram. “We could not survive the pandemic,” the announcement reads. “We appreciate all your love and support.”

Crown Heights: Popular Atlantic Avenue bar Diamond Reef has closed after a four-plus-year run in the neighborhood. The building reportedly was sold and the landlord informed the bar that its lease would be terminated. The owners are hoping to reopen in a new location.

East Village: Following an 18-year run, East Village pizza staple Vinny Vincenz Pizza has permanently closed. A for rent sign now hangs on the door.

East Village: Gelateria Fresco will not be reopening in the East Village. It had temporarily shut down last October with the owners citing a decline in revenue. A for rent sign now hangs in the front of the shop, which remained in the neighborhood for eight years.

East Village: A for rent sign has been posted on Hayaty Hookah Bar in the East Village. The lounge never reopened after the city first shut down dine-in operations last March.

Long Island City: Acclaimed ramen destination Mu Ramen has permanently shut down, LIC Talk reports. The restaurant, which debuted in late 2013 as a pop-up out of a bagel shop, exploded in popularity after New York Times restaurant critic Pete Wells declared its ramen the best in the city. Mu has operated out of its permanent shop in LIC since 2014.

April 2

Jackson Heights: The original location of cult-favorite Tibetan food counter Lhasa Fast Food was “completely destroyed” after a four-alarm fire tore through a row of commercial buildings on 37th Road and 74th Street on March 5. Owner Sang Jien Ben has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help the shop reopen at a new location in the neighborhood.

East Village: After 41 years in business, the Pyramid Club will not reopen because as manager Maria Narciso told EV Grieve: “While many businesses were allowed to open with heavy restrictions, nightclubs and performance venues/theaters have suffered the most.” The East Village institution became the center of the city’s drag and punk rock scene in the 80s.

East Village: NYC has lost yet another dollar-slice joint now that F&M Slice Pizza — which also served Buffalo wings and Jamaican beef patties — shuttered. According to one local there was “not enough business, and the rent is too high.”

East Village: The sprawling bi-level Irish sports bar and lounge Central Bar was open for nearly 20 years, but according to the establishment’s Instagram post on March 18, a new landlord has taken over and decided not to keep its tenants.

Nomad: Hand Hospitality, which is behind some of NYC’s most notable Korean restaurants, jumped into the Korean hot pot scene with the opening of On in 2019. But according to the restaurant’s website, it closed on March 20 and the space will reopen as another concept.

Long Island City: Something Sweet, a source for ice cream and bubble tea in Long Island City since opening five years ago, is now closed. The shop’s owner decided not to renew the lease, citing the dearth of walk-in business since the pandemic began last year.

Hudson Yards: Momofuku Kāwi, among the most well-received restaurants within Hudson Yards, is no more. At the soon-to-open Ssäm Bar located at the South Street Seaport, the restaurant’s star chef Eunjo Park will be in charge of the kitchen. Peach Mart, which was modeled after Asian convenience stories and located next door to Kāwi, also permanently closed.