Grub Street learns, via a recent listing from restaurant broker Steve Kamali, that longtime Clinton Street Italian fine dining spot Falai and its little sister cafe offshoot Falai Panetteria are on the market. Employees say they "might" close and a broker says owner Iacapo Falai is entertaining offers at the moment. (Update: The folks at Kamali say they were misquoted and they didn't say they were entertaining offers, fwiw.) So it's not a done deal, but not a fantastic sign for the Clinton Street stalwarts.
At a dinner recently at Falai—which it should be added, is still excellent, if underpopulated—the chef was entertaining ideas of making his menu prix fixe only, a move that could a) counter diners who only come in to order pasta and b) add some new juice to the place. But perhaps it's too late for that. They also recently closed on Sundays and Mondays for the summer.
Caffe Falai and its adjacent Bottega Falai are still alive and well, and plans to open a trattoria are apparently still on the docket.
· Falai and Falai Panetteria Are On the Market [GS]
[Photo via Kalina]