One of NYC’s Most Exclusive Restaurants Acts As If the Rules Don’t Apply

Casa Cruz, the exclusive London social club and restaurant that debuted an NYC location last year, temporarily closed this week due to permitting issues, according to the New York Post. As of January 30, the restaurant received notice from the Commissioner of Health and Mental Hygiene, that it would have to shut down operations due to bucking the rules, and allegedly “operating without a permit.” A representative tells says the temporary closure was “due to a clerical error” and reopened last night. Casa Cruz is located in a Beaux-Arts Mansion on East 61 Street, filled with artwork by Keith Haring, Andy Warhol, and David Hockney, with no shortage of celebrity spottings. It is one of a spattering of new restaurants in the city that function as a private dining club for the elite. Update: February 1, 2023, 11:23 a.m.: This article was updated to include information from a spokesperson that Casa Cruz has reopened.

Jersey City has a new West African cafe

Kọ Cafe pays homage to the founders' Nigerian and Ghanaian roots, also with Sudanese pastries from Sambuxa. “We’re invested in working directly with African farmers in the near term,” the team wrote on Instagram about its bean sourcing. The coffee shop is located at 722 Grand Street, near Prescott Street.

Chicago Michelin-starred restaurant is opening an NYC sushi bar

The Moody Tongue Brewing, which also runs the Michelin-starred tasting menu spot, now has an NYC sushi spot under its belt. Moody Tongue Sushi is set to open on February 10, at 150 W. 10th Street, at Waverly Place, in Greenwich Village.

Via Carota launches bottled cocktails

Jody Williams and Rita Sodi, the power couple behind the West Village’s hot spot Via Carota, debut a collection of bottled cocktails today that include espresso martinis, old fashioneds, Manhattans, negronis, and more classic drinks.