A Queens Destination for Filipino Fare and Karaoke Says Farewell — and More Closings

Nearly two years 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. Due to the difficulty of tracking restaurant and bar closings, experts say that number could be even higher, and will likely take months or even years to assess.

Among them are the short-lived, plantain-focused Kelewele as well as a long-running Italian restaurant, Sandro’s. 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.

February 25

Greenpoint: Following a two-month temporary closure, vegan Mexican restaurant Xilonen has permanently closed. Owner Justin Bazdarich, also behind the Michelin-starred Oxomoco and wood-fired pizzeria Speedy Romeo, confirmed the closure to Eater in a text message, citing “factors outside our control,” including a surge in coronavirus cases from the omicron variant.

Jackson Heights: Filipino restaurant Papa’s Kitchen has called it quits, according to the restaurant’s Instagram. The family-owned Queens restaurant opened in 2012 in Woodside and became known for its chicken adobe, kare kare, and silogs, as well as its karaoke. In 2019, the restaurant relocated to its current storefront in bustling Jackson Heights. The business did not provide a reason for closing.

Tribeca: Sake bar Shigure closed on February 12, according to neighborhood blog Tribeca Citizen. The bar operated in Manhattan for 15 years and was home some 50 different types of sake, shochu, and beer. Shigure announced the closure on its website but did not provide a reason for the shutdown.

Tribeca: Woodrow’s, a downtown Manhattan pub, will be not be reopening, according to Tribeca Citizen. Owner Erin Garmont told the publication “it didn’t make sense to renew [its lease] taking into consideration the rent amount and the hardships city businesses are still facing.” The bar had been open for a decade.

February 18

Dumbo: Vodega owner Jeremy Dean tells Eater that he closed his vegan deli in October due to not “enough vegan traffic in the neighborhood.” In its place, Dean has relaunched with a new restaurant called Lucky Rabbit Noodles, named after his recently deceased bunny. Half the menu is still devoted to vegan dishes.

Nomad: Four-year-old Italian restaurant Cardoncello DiVino, known for highlighting the thick, meaty cardoncello mushroom in many of its dishes, has closed its doors. An announcement on the restaurant’s website stated that pandemic-related issues were the reason for the closure, and the last day of service was Valentine’s Day.

Sunset Park: As of February 13, Tadaima has closed its outpost at Brooklyn’s Industry City food hall. Owner Ayaka Ando plans to reopen the Japanese bakery in a spot nearby in late March, according to a message on Instagram.

Upper West Side: Cuban and pan-Latin American spot Calle Ocho is no more, according to neighborhood website I Love the Upper West Side. Calle Ocho first opened in the neighborhood in 1998 and gained a following for its arepas, ceviches, crispy, honey-glazed calamari, and a rollicking, bottomless brunch with ten different varieties of sangria on tap. The restaurant has closed down and changed locations three times throughout the years, ending with its most recent relocation in January 2020. This time, the closure is permanent, according to a message posted to the restaurant’s Instagram account. Its last day of service was January 23.

February 11

Greenpoint: Italy Pizza, a home for calzones, heroes, and quality slices in Greenpoint, will not be reopening. According to neighborhood website Greenpointers, a staff member at Greenpoint Original Pizza, two blocks over and from the same team, confirmed the closure.

Midtown East: Jubilee, a cozy French bistro and favorite in the neighborhood, has closed. Chef Luc Holie and manager Ilda Araujo announced the closure in an email to customers on February, writing that their lease had expired on December 31 and they were unable to reach a new agreement with their landlord.

Nomad: Twenty-seven years after opening on the border of Kips Bay and Flatiron, Italian fine dining restaurant I Trulli has come to an end. The restaurant survived a 400 percent rent hike and at one point pivoted to no tipping, but owner Nicola Marzovilla called its quits ahead of the two-year anniversary of the pandemic. He announced the closure in an email to customers on February 9. “As the proverb goes, all good things must come to an end,” the message read.

Upper West Side: Kosher pizzeria Cafe Roma is no more. The slice shop with knishes, bourekas, and other Jewish fare closed on January 30, according to neighborhood blog West Side Rag. The restaurant, originally located at 91st Street and Amsterdam Avenue, had been operating in the neighborhood for more than 25 years.

Upper West Side: Joe’s Coffee Company is calling it quits after a rent increase at its shop on the corner of 73rd Street and Amsterdam Avenue, according to West Side Rag. The New York City coffee chain has two additional locations nearby, at 187 Columbus Avenue and 514 Columbus Avenue.

February 4

Downtown Brooklyn: Rachel Laryea’s plantain-fueled Dekalb Market stall Kelewele is no more. Laryea took to Instagram this week to announce the closure of the restaurant, which opened last June. After opening in the Downtown Brooklyn food hall, Laryea expanded with another location in Barclays Center, which has closed, as well. According to the Instagram post, the chef is shifting her attention to wholesale distribution of her plantain-based treats.

East Village: Baker’s Pizza has called it quits on Avenue A. The team confirmed the news on Instagram last week, writing that a “new owner might be reopening but probably changing the branding and the name. I’m done!” Owner Jordan Baker first opened the pizzeria in 2016 and became known for his focaccia, meatball sandwiches, and enormous pies.

Flatiron: Gadi Paleg’s modern Israeli restaurant Nur is officially done after four years in Manhattan. The last day of service was January 22.

Fort Greene: The Business Improvement District for Fort Greene announced the closure of Fulton Street’s the Broccoli Bar this week. The restaurant launched with an all-broccoli, vegan menu in 2020.

Upper East Side: Uptown Italian restaurant Sandro’s is no more. In a voicemail message, the restaurant shared that it had permanently closed as of January 23. The recording did not provide a reason for the closure but in an Instagram post, the restaurant shared that the closing was “beyond our control.” According to Grub Street, owner Sandro Fioriti has been cooking around New York City for more than thirty years.

Williamsburg: Owners Zack and Diana Wangeman shared on Instagram this week that their Williamsburg restaurant, Sobre Masa Cafe, has closed for good following a temporary closure. The well-liked spot opened during the pandemic and became known for its stand-out breakfast tacos and all-day cafe feel. The Wangemans cited omicron-related struggles as the reason for closing, saying they will focus their attention on Sobre Masa Tortilleria, a taqueria, cocktail bar, and heirloom corn tortilla production facility they opened last year at 52 Harrison Place, between Morgan and Knickerbocker avenues, in Bushwick.