One of NYC’s Most Exciting Pastry Pop-Ups Is Opening a Bakery

Lauren Tran launched Bánh by Lauren, her Vietnamese American bakery pop-up series, when she was furloughed from Gramercy Tavern during the COVID lockdowns. Known for items like her pandan coconut chiffon cake, Tran’s events have consistently sold-out, with delivery boxes initially prepared at her home, and later, at restaurants like Nudibranch. Now, Tran, and her husband, Garland Wong, have signed onto a permanent bakery space at 42 Market Street, at Madison Street, in Chinatown. It’s targeting a spring 2024 opening. The duo is currently raising funds to open through Kickstarter. When it opens, it will join bakeries like Bạn Bè, showcasing remixed Vietnamese flavors.

Two Wildair alums are opening their own restaurant

Quang Nguyen and Jacob Nass worked together for years at Wildair, and then linked up again at Cool World, before the owners’ unceremoniously closed it earlier this year. Now they’re working on a spot of their own with Demo. The restaurant’s menu is going for an old-school New York feel, with Nguyen as its chef. The 36-seat space is aiming to open this December, at 34 Carmine Street, near Bleecker Street. By day, it will operate as a cafe.

Greenberg’s Bagels is opening its first Manhattan location

Bed-Stuy bagel shop Greenberg’s is opening its first location in Manhattan this winter. It will share an address — and kitchen — with Demo on 34 Carmine Street, in the West Village. The crossover of the two spaces comes from Ian Henderson-Charnow, a partner at Greenberg’s, as well as an owner of Demo.

This all-night restaurant serves brunch into the wee hours

2Chix, a Trinidadian restaurant at the Bushwick-Bed-Stuy border, recently launched midnight brunch. The restaurant serves breakfast food, like plantains, and BEC waffles, every Friday night from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. and Saturday night from 2:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m., according to BK Reader. 2Chix first opened at 1022 Broadway, near Willoughby Avenue, around a year ago.