Veselka has a new location in Manhattan. The popular East Village Ukrainian restaurant, open since 1954 and known for its pierogies and borscht, is now open at Grand Central Terminal. The small counter sells plates of potato varenyky, stuffed cabbage, chicken schnitzel, and other popular dishes from the original restaurant. It’s the first of several expansions planned for Veselka. In March, the restaurant’s owners announced they would open a location in Williamsburg this year that would be larger than the East Village original. In 2019, the restaurant expanded with a second location at the Market Line food hall on the Lower East Side. Opening hours are Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Judge approves minimum wage pay for delivery workers
A judge struck down lawsuits from Uber, Doordash, and Grubhub on Thursday, clearing the way for an increase in hourly pay for the estimated 60,000 delivery workers in New York City. The updated minimum wage, which requires delivery apps to pay their workers around $18 per hour before tips, was approved by City Council in June. Uber, Doordash, and Grubhub sued New York City in July to stop the law from going into effect; the companies claimed the new minimum wage would harm the tech companies. In his decision, Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Nicholas Moyn called those worries “speculative.”
A popular gluten-free Instagram bakery signs on a space
Sixteen Mill is an Instagram bakery known for “delicious” vegan and gluten-free baked goods made without refined sugar, soy, or gums. Owner Natalia (Talia) Tutak tells Eater that she’s signed on a bakery space at 552 Union Street, near Third Avenue, in Gowanus — a short walk from another new bakery in the area called ByClio. Tutak says she hopes to open by November. — Emma Orlow, reporter
New York’s newest club is in... Fidi?
In September, a new club opened under the Beekman Hotel in Fidi. Laissez Faire is located down Theater Alley, between Ann and Beekman streets, where a neon purple sign hangs above an unmarked door. Downstairs, the 180-person space has pink banquettes, a dance floor, and a full bar. The new venue comes from the founders of the Manhattan nightclub Outer Heaven, which opened on the Lower East Side earlier this year; the food menu is from celebrity chef Tom Colicchio. Opening hours are Tuesday, 6 p.m. to midnight; Wednesday, 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.; Thursday, 6 p.m. to 3 a.m.; and Friday and Saturday, 6 p.m. to 4 a.m.
