Restaurateur Behind Old John’s Diner Revival Is Considering Odessa Takeover

Restaurateur Louis Skibar voices interest in taking over Odessa in the East Village

A veteran restaurateur with a soft spot for diners is considering reviving shuttered Ukrainian diner Odessa in the East Village. Louis Skibar of Toloache Restaurant Group told the New York Post earlier this week that Odessa is “next on the list” following his resurrection of beloved Upper West Side diner Old John’s, which opened earlier this month. He also co-owns Cuban diner Coppelia in Chelsea.

But Skibar isn’t the only one interested in a potential Odessa takeover. The Post reports that other restaurateurs in the city have “expressed interest” in the space and a “potential deal may already be in the works.” Eater has reached out to the real estate broker managing Odessa’s sale for more information.

A decades-old fixture of the East Village, Odessa announced its closure to some confusion in July 2020 and has since sat dormant for nearly a year. The diner was listed for sale on Craigslist last month with an asking price of $400,000.

In other news

— The owner behind popular bar Mr. Fong’s in Two Bridges is gearing up to open a new Italian spot in the old Mission Chinese space on the Lower East Side, according to a Bowery Boogie report.

— Colombian hot dogs and choripan are on the menu at Grilled!, a new vegan restaurant in Bushwick owned by dentist Andrew Della Pietra.

— Inside Radicle Wine, a natural wine shop newcomer in Clinton Hill run by musicians Brian Heiss, Steven Reker, and Matt Nelson.

— Fast casual salad spot Eden’s opens at Brooklyn Safehouse in Greenpoint.

— World’s Your Oyster Co., a new oyster CSA that launched during the pandemic, is closing out summer signups this week. Shares of its oysters and other fresh seafood start at $170 apiece.

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