March 15, 2010

Organic Food Market Coming to Myrtle

This may be the first photo tip we've received via Twitter...a few minutes ago, @mrsbetsygood tweeted this photo of the new signage that just went up at 365 Myrtle Avenue, underneath The Clermont and right next to Walgreens. It may not be a supermarket, but it's still a nice hook-up for folks who live nearby, dontcha think? GMAP

March 12, 2010

Streetlevel: Burg's New Biergarten Revealed

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Chef Michael Psilakis, of Kefi and Anthos in Manhattan, just got a liquor license for the space on the corner of North 10th Street and Driggs. According to the New York Post, "The chef has not signed a lease on the space and even if he does, he remains unsure of the concept of the business. So far, Psilakis is using the name Biergarten williamsburg LLC, for the liquor license application, but this would not be the name of the restaurant." With Radegast in walking distance, is this neighborhood in need of another biergarten? Or would it make more sense for Psilakis to bring his signature Greek cuisine to Brooklyn? GMAP

New Florist for Greenwood Heights

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The brand new GreenWood Florist has officially opened on the East side of 4th avenue and 21st street in Greenwood Heights, in the same spot that Danielas Floral Design used to occupy. It is conveniently located directly next door to Leone Funeral Home and two blocks north of Park Slope Funeral. The cemetery, which shares its name with the florist, is just one avenue away. GMAP

March 11, 2010

Streetlevel: Vintage Clothes and Decor on 5th

No big surprises here: Guvnor's Vintage Thrift is moving next door into 176 5th Avenue and will reopen mid-March, and their old location has been filled by Gift Man, another decor/knick-knack shop on Park Slope's 5th Avenue stretch. With the huge amount of store closings in the area, we'll see if this place can tough it out. GMAP

Le Gamin Coming to Greenpoint

When NY Shitty first noticed that Le Gamin was planning to open a Greenpoint outpost at 108 Franklin Street, there was no signage in place yet to speak of; same deal when Eater checked in back in early February. Now, points out a tipster, there's an attractively branded awning in place. Anyone know if they succeeded in getting Community Board support for their beer and wine license? GMAP

March 10, 2010

Streetlevel: Brick Oven Pizza for Atlantic Ave.

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Another update for the stretch of Atlantic between Henry and Clinton: La Pizzetta, which opened in the fall of '08, is out and Casa Tua is in. We spotted the owners posting the new signage last week, and the brick oven pizza spot was scheduled to open yesterday. Anyone know if it did? GMAP

More Bagels For 7th Avenue

Close to a year ago, Park Slope Farm opened up at 106 7th Avenue, much to the glee of nearby residents who were in need of a convenient and well-stocked bodega. Seems like things didn't go as planned though: It's already closed and boarded up, and although there are no signs out yet, the work order notice tells us the place is being remodeled into another bagel cafe. Pretty stiff competition, with the La Bagel Delight and the Bagel Hole further down 7th, don't you think? GMAP

March 9, 2010

Streetlevel: Locavore Restaurant to Replace Cafe on Clinton

A month ago, we wondered aloud what the heck was going on with Cafe on Clinton, the formerly-beloved-but-now-forsaken neighborhood spot at 268 Clinton Street in Cobble Hill. The restaurant had sat, ghost-town-like, since the New Year with tables set but doors locked. Now we have the full story: A new restaurant under new ownership is taking over. To be called Breuckelen, the new spot will be a locavore "field to fork" experience. According to the owner, the menu will most likely have a Roman's-esque three-course approach (apps, small pastas, mains) and include ingredients from the garden that will soon be planted out back and on the roof of the one-story building. Weekdays there will be lunch geared toward the stroller set plus dinner, and on the weekends the standard brunch-and-dinner combo. Seems to us this should be a great fit and much-welcomed addition to the neighborhood. GMAP

Ellis Restaurant and Bar Has Closed

On the morning of February 28th, workers at Ellis Restaurant and Bar in South Slope Brooklyn found out they no longer had jobs via giant pad lock on the doors. (New blog Greenwood Frame confirms the suddenness of the move.) After months of unpaid rent and disputes with the landlord, Ellis Restaurant and Bar is no longer in business. The place was open just shy of two years. It never quite found it’s footing in South Slope, feeling more like it belonged somewhere on the Upper West Side. The opening of the bar South next door a few months back, with its more relaxed jukebox and free popcorn environment, seemed to also deal a blow to Ellis. The space Ellis is leaving behind is enormous; it will be interesting to see if a food or beverage establishment can survive in it. GMAP

Paulie Gee's Opening Today in Greenpoint

Paul Ginnone, a man Serious Eats calls “the consummate pizza lover," opens the eponymous Paulie Gee’s this week at 60 Greenpoint Avenue. Taking over the space of the old Paloma, Paulie Gee’s will put out authentic wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizza and utilize fresh local ingredients from Rooftop Farms. The rustic and welcoming space (check out the interior photo on the jump) features handcrafted woodwork throughout with the imported hearth as its anchor. Designed by hOmE, the same team behind the Manhattan Inn and Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream Café, the bar will be fully operational in short order. The menu? To start, Ginnone will offer about eight standard pies and a couple of specialty pies to change in accordance with local ingredient availability. While Paulie will never put pepperoni on his pizzas, he will garnish them with soppressata, prosciutto di Parma, guanciale, speck, even Kale. He’ll pull the first official pie from the oven at 5PM Tuesday. Check out some of Paulie’s pizza pics here. GMAP

Continue reading "Paulie Gee's Opening Today in Greenpoint"

March 8, 2010

Streetlevel: Bagels at Prospect and Vandy?

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There's a work permit on the gate of the space on the corner of Prospect and Vanderbilt, and it looks like a new restaurant will be moving in. According to the chatter on the Brooklynian boards, "The word on the street is that it will be a bagel place from the owners of Zaytoons." We're wondering if this Middle Eastern mini chain will be opening a basic bagel-and-cream-cheese joint — or if they'd be offering their savory spreads, like Turkish salad and hummus, on bagels, too. GMAP

Red Apple Grilled on Myrtle Market Plans

We've been eyeing this sign along Myrtle Avenue for several months wondering when there'd be some news about the supermarket that was supposed to go into Red Apple's recently-completed rental project at the corner Ashland Place and Myrtle Avenue. There were a few kernels of information that surfaced at a Community Board 2 meeting last week, but a lot of the important details—like who the operator would be and whether the market would be targeted more at the upscale residents of the new towers along Flatbush or those who live in nearby public housing—remained in the dark. (The fact that it will be located in the basement, while a drugstore takes the ground-floor space, suggests they may not be aiming for the stars.) The Red Apple Group rep did say that the operator would most likely be named by the end of the month, reported The Local, and that the store could be opened as soon as May.
Long-Delayed Supermarket on the Way, Says Red Apple [NY Times]
The Andrea 10 Percent Rented, Drugstore to Follow [Brownstoner]
218 Myrtle Has a Name: The Andrea [Brownstoner]

March 5, 2010

Streetlevel: New Coffeehouse for Atlantic

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Lost City recently posted about all the empty storefronts on Atlantic near Henry Street, and we mentioned that Abitare on Henry is closing, but it looks like a new coffee house is opening called 139 @tlantic. As noted by Brooklyn Heights Blog, the place will offer “fair trade coffee, live entertainment, interesting furniture, contemporary artifacts and a unique atmosphere.” GMAP
Another Atlantic Ave Design Store Biting the Dust [Brownstoner]

New Pizza Place Under Scary 4th Ave Building

Right under the giant behemoth apartment complex on 23rd and 4th ave known as 725 4th ave, which looks like a mental hospital from the outside, is a new pizza place opening called Barro. Despite the aesthetic drawbacks of the building, it should be a good spot: The nearest pizza places are Brothers Pizza on 19th and Fourth and the famous Luigi’s on 21st and 5th; it's also just two blocks away for the 25th Street R-train station. GMAP

March 4, 2010

Streetlevel: New Shop for Court Street

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Debbie Fisher Jewelry recently closed up shop at 461 Court Street—in between Frankie's 457 and Prime Meats—and now there's a sign in the window for a new shop called Black Gold. A tipster says, "I heard that it's going to be records, coffee, and antiques." GMAP

Another Atlantic Ave Design Store Biting the Dust

The Brooklyn Heights decor and gift store is closing up shop at the end of this month. The tiny store has been around since 2006, and owners say they won't be relocating. Looks like that corner of Henry and Atlantic will feel pretty barren soon, what with the shuttering of Nova Zembla. GMAP
StreetLevel: Heights Furniture Shop Shuttering [Brownstoner]

March 3, 2010

Streetlevel: Dutch Boy Burgers Opening This Week

Despite the fact that there was a Stop Work Order posted in the window when we stopped by last weekend, Time Out NY is reporting that Dutch Boy Burgers, the new venture at 766 Franklin Avenue from the folks that brought you Franklin Park (which connects to Dutch Boy at the rear) and Southpaw, is set to open this week. TONY highlights a couple of menu items including a burger topped with cheddar, mushrooms and caramelized onions and milk shakes made with Blue Marble ice cream. Local blog I Love Franklin Avenue had this to say about the opening: "It sounds fantastic, particularly the part about the bar serving the full menu into the wee hours. I suppose this does mean the end of take-out at Franklin Park, but it's a small price to pay for a good new burger place." On the jump, check out a photo of the interior. GMAP

Continue reading "Streetlevel: Dutch Boy Burgers Opening This Week"

New Bar for Greenwood Heights

It appears there will be a new bar on 20th Street and 6th ave in the same South Slope location that in the last year and a half has seen Bar B Q and Safe Haven go out of business. The bar will be right across the street from the classy Toby’s Pub and right next door to the restaurant Lot 2, which took the place of Kitchen Bar last summer. On the same block the brand new Lucali spin off Giuseppina’s is still in grand opening limbo and have their windows covered with the same newspapers clippings since November (did you hear the Yankees won the World Series?). Lying on a very secluded tree lined street with a gorgeous view of Green-Wood Cemetery, it seems only a matter of time before this little pocket is filled with upscale establishments; and possibly before the whole neighborhood becomes a second Park Slope. GMAP

Ed: This is the first post from our neighborhood stringer program. We got such a huge response that it's going to take a few more days to worth through. Thanks to everyone who expressed interest--we'll be back to you soon.

March 2, 2010

Streetlevel: Lincoln Park Tavern To Open

In the wake of the meltdown of Jim Mamary's empire, a new bar is rising from the ashes of Fly Fish at 49 Lincoln Road. The new watering hole will be called Lincoln Park Tavern. We suspect it will be opened with open arms. The word on the street (or, actually, at Enduro next door) is that the tavern will serve only drink, not food. GMAP

New(ish) Mattress Store on Fulton

This new mattress place opened a couple of weeks ago at 635 Fulton Street near Flatbush but we just noticed it for the first time this week. Evidently this is the third location for Dreamy's—the other two are at 480 5th Avenue and 367 Flatbush Avenue. This location should be particularly convenient for all those buyers who just bought at Forte up the street! GMAP

March 1, 2010

Streetlevel: New Spa for 7th Avenue

There's a posh-looking new salon and spa in the old Trade Winds Imports space next to Santa Fe Grill called Voluspa. The website listed on their banner (voluspasalon.com) isn't up and running yet, but they seemed to be doing some brisk business when we walked by. The only review of the place we can find was written by a Brooklynian first-timer and seems like shill, but this enthusiastic customer claims to have gotten a great haircut from a stylist named Svetlana, and enjoyed the space: "they did a fantastic remodeling job (it was a firniture [sic] store). The lower level is gorgeous and soo relaxing!!! I had a thai massage... it couldn't have been more perfect!!" Anybody check this place out yet? GMAP

Pies 'n' Thighs Opens Today

It's hard to think of a more highly-anticipated restaurant event in Brooklyn this year than today's opening of Pies 'n' Thighs. We stopped by over the weekend and got a look at the new dining room (and peered in the window of the rear dining room set up in an old garage with shiny red doors.) The line for the Southern-style food is bound to be out the door, so get there early. To whet your appetite, TimeOutNY had some close-ups of some of the dishes on it food blog on Thursday, including fried chicken, hush puppies, mac and cheese and baked beans.GMAP

February 26, 2010

Streetlevel: Brick Oven Pizza for Deep Smith

Il%20Cuntuccio.jpg For the past couple of weeks, 478 Smith Street has been sporting signs in its windows for Il Cuntuccio, a brick oven pizzeria. The space was formerly home to an Uncle Louie G location, Pardon Me For Asking notes. A commenter on Cobble Hill blog thinks there might be a spelling mistake on the signage—"cantuccio" (not cuntuccio) is the Italian word for “corner." And there's a bakery called Il Cantuccio in Manhattan, which is named for the "twice-baked cookie" that it sells by the kilo, according to Time Out New York. Any Italian speakers want to weigh in on this one? GMAP
Streetlevel: Center of Light on Smith [Brownstoner]
Development Watch: Butt-Ugly on Smith [Brownstoner]

New Wine Bar Opens on Cortelyou Today

Next door to the recently opened gourmet market, the folks behind Mimi's Hummus open a new wine bar today called The Castello Plan. One reader attended the soft opening earlier this week and was nice enough to post some pics, which you can see on Flickr. The new spot is located at 1213 Cortelyou Road. Looks very nice to us.
Cortelyou Market, Wine Bar Coming Along [Brownstoner] GMAP
Photos by Nelson Ryland

February 25, 2010

Streetlevel: Subway Coming to Court Street

We doubt anyone was sad to see the old Blimpie's at 66 Court Street fail. Now, we hear that its replacement will be none other than Subway. Moderately better, we guess, but hardly reason for the foodies to rejoice. GMAP

Streetlevel