Punjabi Grocery and Deli Is back, serving on 1st Street

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Good news for Punjabi faithful: Punjabi Grocery and Deli is back open. 

After a multi-week closure, Punjabi reopened yesterday at 114 E. First St., just west of Avenue A. 

We stopped by between customers to find Surinder at his usual perch... 

Punjabi's homemade cuisine is known for its large portions of inexpensive, delicious vegetarian dishes. (Cash only, as always.)

And that was back in view yesterday...

As previously noted, the gate had been down in recent weeks, with no signage for patrons — and no updates on the shop's Instagram — prompting some neighborhood concern. 

The closure was due to a plumbing issue, and the two restrooms inside were renovated. 

Punjabi's hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Bowery Electric space to reopen as the Bowery Palace; Jesse Malin up first in new theater

ICYMI: Bowery Electric will close on Jan. 30, ending a 17-year run of live bands and performances. 

The space, however, will remain in the family. 

Beginning on Feb. 18, the venue at 327 Bowery near Second Street will reopen as the Bowery Palace, a 100-seat theater. 

The inaugural production will be a six-week Off-Broadway run of “Silver Manhattan,” Jesse Malin’s theatrical show, following a sold-out workshop residency at the Gramercy Theatre starting this past September. 

"Silver Manhattan" will play five nights a week from Feb. 18 through March 29. Performances are scheduled for Wednesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 7 p.m. The 90-minute show will feature special guest appearances throughout the run, along with nightly pre-show gatherings.

"'Silver Manhattan' is the most personal thing I've ever done on stage," Malin said in a statement announcing the Bowery Palace. "I wanted to run it in a smaller theater and look into the eyes of everyone in the room. I have so much history on the Bowery — I played CBGB as a kid and grew up in the neighborhood. My grandfather sold liquor to the bars up and down the Bowery. It's nice to go back to the scene of the crime."

Tickets are on sale now at SilverManhattan.com.

In May 2023, Malin suffered a rare spinal stroke that left him paralyzed from the waist down. Malin, a partner in several local establishments, including Niagara, 96 Tears, and the Bowery Electric, returned to the stage for the first time since early 2023 in December 2024 at the Beacon Theater, billed as "the largest hometown show of his career." 

Malin, a Queens native, launched his music career at age 12 while fronting the hardcore band Heart Attack. He later served as the lead vocalist of D Generation in the 1990s. 

He has become a prolific singer-songwriter with nine studio albums and a variety of collaborations, including Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, and Billie Joe Armstrong. 

Photo below of Malin (left) and photographer Bob Gruen from last May on the Bowery by Stacie Joy

After raids, fines and silence, is Green Line finally done on Avenue B?

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Green Line, the unlicensed cannabis joint at 42 Avenue B between Third Street and Fourth Street, has been closed since early December.

At that time, according to witnesses, Green Line employees got into a row, and basically trashed the place in the process. 

Now, a demand-for-rent notice from the landlord, Steve Croman, has arrived. Building employees say Green Line has not responded to any messages.

The shop was busted multiple times last year, most recently on Nov. 18. 

Despite repeated raids and fines, the shop kept pulling a Michael Myers–Jason Voorhees comeback, rising from the dead again and again. Could this really be the end of the (Green) line?

Punjabi Deli and Grocery reopens TODAY

Photo yesterday by Stacie Joy

After a multi-week closure, Punjabi Grocery and Deli reopens TODAY (Jan. 7) at 114 E. First St. 

The gate has been down in recent weeks, and there hasn't been any sign for patrons here... or on the shop's Instagram account... causing a bit of a freakout among Punjabi faithful.

Jashon Singh, whose father, Kulwinder Singh, started running the store just west of Avenue A in 1994, told us last night via an Instagram message: "My father had to close due to an emergency, but he's reopening [Jan. 7]."

He also apologized for not mentioning the closure on Instagram and promised to be more active there. 

In recent weeks, we heard from several fans of Punjabi's inexpensive, delicious vegetarian Indian food who wondered what's going on at the longtime neighborhood favorite. (Several tipsters told us about a plumbing issue in the building, though we didn't have confirmation on that.) 

Punjabi's hours: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Activity at a historic 2nd Avenue address

Photo Monday by Steven 

Nearly 19 months after changing hands, there's now some activity at 110 Second Ave., between Sixth Street and Seventh Street. 

In May 2024, the landmarked Isaac T. Hopper House had a new owner for the first time in 150 years. At the time, Self Reliance New York Federal Credit, which owns the building next door, announced that it was expanding by purchasing No. 110 for $7.4 million. 

The credit union, which provides financial services to the Ukrainian American community, plans to renovate and adapt the building for administrative and community needs. 

The Women's Prison Association (WPA) had owned the property since 1874. The Hopper House most recently served as a 38-bed transitional shelter dedicated to formerly incarcerated and at-risk women and their children.

In December 2020, the townhouse sustained significant physical damage from a six-alarm fire on the SE corner of Second Avenue and Seventh Street. The fire destroyed the neighboring Middle Collegiate Church and displaced the shelter's residents and staff. 

Following a review of the damaged property, "WPA determined that a sale of the property would be most conducive to the building's restoration and the organization's programmatic continuity." No. 110 arrived on the market in February 2023 with a $7.1 million ask. 

The property is also on the National Register of Historic Places. You can find more history of the address at Village Preservation. 

Meanwhile, with 70 employees and 50 volunteers, WPA continues to operate from its other community sites in New York City, as well as from jail-based offices on Rikers Island and the Taconic and Bedford Hills State Correctional Facilities.

Ahead of its opening, Lazy Bulldog brings Turkish coffee to this 6th Street stoop

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

Before the doors even open, Dmitrii Zhurbenko is already introducing the East Village to his coffee. 

In recent weeks, Zhurbenko has been setting up a portable station outside 206 E. Sixth St., near Cooper Square, serving Turkish/Arabic/Greek-style coffee brewed the traditional way — slowly, over heated sand. 

It's a preview of what's coming soon inside the space, where Lazy Bulldog Coffeeshop is expected to open in the next couple of weeks. 

Here, the finely milled coffee is prepared to order and can be customized with add-ins like cardamom, black pepper, ginger, chili, or lavender, served sweet, black, or with milk. 

Along with sand-brewed coffee, Lazy Bulldog plans to offer chai, brewed tea ("real tea, no stuff from tea bags!"), matcha and pastries.

Zhurbenko, who was born in Tajikistan and is of Serbian descent, previously sold this style of coffee from a cart in Prospect Lefferts Gardens. 

While finishing the Sixth Street space, he decided to bring the coffee outside his entrance as a way to introduce himself and the concept to the neighborhood. 

The portable setup is $5 per cup, with hours that depend on when he's out front. (Updates are often posted on Instagram at @lazybulldog_coffee.)

'50 Years of PUNK' this January

Photos by Stacie Joy 

You now have an extra week to take in "50 Years of PUNK." 

East Village resident John Holmstrom, the co-founder, editor, and illustrator of PUNK Magazine, and gallery owner Ki Smith, have announced that the exhibit has been extended by another week to Jan. 18, the night of the closing party.

The show, which opened in November, brings together original work from artists, photographers and contributors who shaped — and were shaped by — PUNK Magazine, which championed the Ramones before their first record, put Blondie in print, and turned fanzine culture into something louder and more visual.

The Ki Smith Gallery is at 170 Forsyth St., between Stanton and Rivington. Gallery hours: Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. 

See below for upcoming events... also, on Sunday: live sets by Labretta Suede and the Motel 6 and Vamanos! Ticket info here.

 

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Previously on EV Grieve:

• A look at '50 Years of PUNK,' opening tonight at the Ki Smith Gallery

Veselka looks to add full liquor license at longtime East Village home

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

East Village institution Veselka is seeking a full liquor license for its longtime Second Avenue and Ninth Street location. 

Jason Birchard, the third-generation owner of the East Village institution, told us the decision follows the success of Veselka's full liquor program at its Williamsburg outpost.

Birchard will appear before Community Board 3's SLA Licensing & Outdoor Dining Committee on Jan. 12 to make the request. 

Birchard said the plan is for a small, food-complementary liquor program — not a full bar. 

"Nothing large," he said. "Just a complement to the beer and wine we have now. Maybe a Bloody Mary, a seasonal cocktail, some cordials, and special Ukrainian vodka that's hard to find here." 

Veselka has operated with a beer and wine license at the East Village location for more than 30 years, Birchard noted, and is in good standing with the SLA. 

He said the move is partly about staying competitive in the neighborhood as costs continue to rise. Birchard also said the restaurant is exploring a return to late-night hours — potentially 2 a.m., 4 a.m., or even overnight service on weekends — though staffing challenges remain a factor. 

As for drinks, Birchard said Veselka has experimented with cocktails before, including a Bloody Mary collaboration at the former Bowery location and a beet martini, and he's open to bringing those ideas back.

The Williamsburg menu offers a preview of what could come to the East Village, including cocktails made with Ukrainian horilka, beet juice and sour cherry syrup. 

There are no plans for a separate bar or dedicated bartender at the Second Avenue location. Any cocktails would be prepared through the existing service bar and added directly to the menu.

Birchard also emphasized there would be no "boozy brunch," though a simple cocktail option with brunch could be available.

What will be the 12th establishment in 12 years for 334 Bowery?

Over at 334 Bowery, a for-rent sign is up at the retail space behind Bond and Grand Jones. (The listing isn't online just yet.) 

This past September, the Marshal took legal possession of the space after Casa Bond had 22 months here serving upscale Mexican cuisine. 

There was an applicant for the address at Community Board 2 last month. Given the arrival of a for-rent sign late last week, those plans likely didn't materialize. 

Otherwise, the new operators could have been the 12th establishment to give the address a whirl since 2014 (the storefront was divided into two storefronts for a time during this period): 

• Forcella 

• Espoleta 

• Gia Trattoria (first iteration) 

• Slice of Naples

• PYT 

• SRO 

• Bowery Pizza 

• Gia Trattoria (second iteration, different operators)

• Gino Sorbillo

• Xeo Cantina 

• Casa Bond 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• Is 334 Bowery now officially a doomed location for restaurants?

First signs of retail (Sephora) life at 1 St. Mark’s Place

Looks like the first signs of life for the inaugural retail tenant at 1 St. Mark's Place. 

EVG reader Jacob Ford spotted workers installing flooring inside the 7,800-square-foot ground-floor space here on the NE corner of Third Avenue...

As previously reported, the mall-friendly Sephora signed a lease here at the base of the 9-story office building this past September. (TRD had the news first.) 

Meanwhile, there haven't been any updates about any tenants leasing the office space, which was reportedly built on spec. 

Crews and equipment were assembled here in the summer of 2020 to start on the foundation — a process that ultimately didn't get underway until 2022.

Monday's parting shot

Photo by Derek Berg

It may be Jan. 5, but this Second Avenue MuniMeter is still very much in party mode.

An update on Evelyn, the East Village restaurant worker arrested by ICE agents on Christmas Eve

Reporting by Stacie Joy

Top photo from Dec. 24

As we first reported, Evelyn, an asylum-seeking Peruvian-born woman who has a 10-year-old child here, was arrested outside her workplace at Ho Foods on Christmas Eve morning. 

After receiving a summertime removal order from a judge, Evelyn had been wearing an ankle monitor and arriving at monthly check-ins at Federal Plaza while she appealed her case. It is unclear what led to her arrest at work that day on Seventh Street between Avenue A and First Avenue. 

While at work in the Ho Foods prep kitchen, Evelyn was notified via the USCIS app that her ankle monitor needed adjustment and that she needed to step outside her place of employment to meet agents. 

When she stepped out the door, she was immediately arrested and taken by masked ICE agents, as shown in this video clip filmed by Jeannine Kiely. 

Within hours of her arrest, Evelyn was transferred from Federal Plaza to Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) El Paso Camp East Montana, in El Paso, Texas. 

Friends scrambled to file a habeas corpus petition (a legal filing that challenges potentially unlawful detention and confinement) on her behalf, and it was filed three minutes before the plane wheels touched down in Texas, giving New York (US District Court, Southern District) jurisdiction over the case. Her family found out she'd been transferred to Southern Texas her via the online ICE tracking portal. 

This was the first known DHS ICE arrest in our neighborhood, and interest in what happened to Evelyn and participation in her fundraiser has been high. 

We spoke with Evelyn's friend, former coworker, and activist Zibby Trewartha-Weiner for an update.

What happened to Evelyn's case after she was arrested? 

The initial meeting (an Order To Show Cause) was held via Zoom on Jan. 2, 2026, before Judge Vernon Broderick in the Southern District of New York. He expressed frustration with the incorrect information the ICE lawyers had. Counsel stated that she was picked up at an immigration check-in, which was incorrect, and the judge was upset by this misinformation. Especially since it was a holiday. 

We hear that Evelyn must be returned to New York. Do you know where and when she will be returned?

All I know is the "NYC area" — reportedly, via the counsel for ICE/DHS, there is limited bedspace for women in the area. They need a court order, which I believe is what is in process. 

Does she have official paperwork in for transfer and jurisdiction? 

There is notice that she must be transferred for any hearing and cannot be deported. We have a timeline for her hearing and case: amended petition on Jan. 9; respondent to file an answer to the amended petition on Jan. 20; petitioner to file any reply on Jan. 26. She has a G-28 document (a notice of entry of appearance as an attorney or accredited representative). 

Which judge is sitting/presiding on the case? 

Edgardo Ramos. 

We were told that when ICE took her, they didn't let her get her glasses, and that she has vision challenges without them. Has she received her glasses? 

The request for glasses to be sent was received on Jan. 2. We are waiting to confirm that the glasses will be received by her before sending. 

Is there still an ongoing need for fundraising? 

We don't know the financial constraints yet of the detainment. We have heard that people often have to pay for detainment fees, etc. We are hoping that the money we have raised will support those costs.

That being said, she worked a 40-hour week and rarely took time off, so there is a significant amount of her income being halted. 

Has anyone spoken with her? 

Yes, family, lawyer, and friends. 

How is she? 

Hard question to answer — stressed, but understanding and patient. I mean, how could you be?

What would you like to see from the East Village community? 

Keep an eye on it! Don't let the news fall below the surface. We need pressure to get her moved, etc. 

Has she received assistance from any elected officials? Have any organizations/people been especially helpful? 

Assistance in the form of contacts, yes; however, the lawyer that we are working with came through a coworker. That being said, Make the Road has also offered legal assistance. 

For now, we are continuing to work with lawyer Margot Hoppin, because she now has so much information regarding the case. She has been by far the most helpful! We have also received support from UnLocal. The bulk of the financial support has come from Ho Foods staff, former staff, and immediate friends and family. 

-----

We have reached out to ICE officials for comment, but have received only "out of the office until after January 5" replies. We will continue to monitor this developing story. 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• On Christmas Eve morning, ICE agents take East Village restaurant worker into custody on 7th Street

[UPDATED] Punjabi Grocery and Deli hasn't been open in weeks, and people are starting to worry

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Updated Jan. 7 — Punjabi reopens TODAY!

-------

When we stopped by Punjabi Grocery and Deli at 114 E. First St. (between Avenue A and First Avenue) on Friday, the longtime East Village fixture was still closed — like it has been for more than two weeks. 

There's no signage about a temporary closure... and Google still lists them as open.

We checked in with Bite & Sip, the neighboring business, and they told us they haven't seen anyone come or go during that time and don't know what's going on at the no-frills counter-service spot for vegetarian Indian food. They expressed concern. 

While we were outside Punjabi, two taxi drivers pulled up, clearly surprised to find the place shuttered. When we asked if it might be a vacation, they were doubtful. "No, no — a business like this doesn't shut down for two weeks and make no money," one said. "Not good." 

There have been concerns about Punjabi's future over the years. The East Houston Reconstruction Project, which finally wrapped up at the end of 2018 — about six years behind schedule — made it nearly impossible for cab drivers to stop by for almost nine years. 

Parking disappeared, tickets loomed, and the rise of Uber and Lyft further reduced Punjabi's core customer base. 

Then there was the nearly seven-year construction saga next door, from sidewalk bridge to demolition to the eventual rise of the nine-story condoplex at 118 E. First St., adding yet another long stretch of disruption. 

Punjabi Grocery and Deli is owned by Kulwinder Singh, who bought the space just west of Avenue A in 1994. 

One note that may be unrelated: the building next door has reportedly been without heat or hot water for months, relying on a portable boiler. Residents there told us the issues have been ongoing and that they’re due in housing court this week — but stressed they don't believe it's connected to Punjabi's closure. 

At this point, we don't have direct contact with ownership. If anyone has reliable information — or sees the shop reopen — please let us know. We'll update as soon as we learn more. 

 

Previously on EV Grieve:

• How you can help Punjabi Grocery & Deli stay in business

• Never-ending construction continues to hurt Punjabi Grocery & Deli

• Taxi Relief Stand arrives on Avenue A; Punjabi Grocery & Deli relieved

• Concern again for Punjabi Grocery & Deli on 1st Street

• At long last, a taxi relief stand for East Houston and 1st Street outside Punjabi Grocery & Deli

The classic Japanese restaurant Beron Beron has closed on 1st Avenue

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Beron Beron at 164 First Ave. at 10th Street has closed. Dec. 31 was the last day of service. 

Co-owner Yuta Umeki (below), who owns the restaurant with his brother, Kyota Umeki, says they decided to close after the death of their father, Yuji Umeki, last fall.

Yuta says they made the difficult decision to close, citing the difficulties operating both restaurants (they also own Kenka on St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue) after his father's sudden death. 

Yuta says some of the staff (below) at Beron Beron will be transitioning to Kenka, which now has late-night hours on Friday and Saturday until 3 a.m.

Yesterday, there was a sidewalk sale of free items, and Yuta says he wasn't looking to make any money off them — just to find them a good home.

Beron Beron opened here in the fall of 2014 and served a long menu of affordable, high-quality dishes in an old-school, Taisho-era atmosphere. They will be missed.

The retail space at 95 2nd Ave. is for rent

A for-lease (listing here) sign went up last month outside the storefront at 95 Second Ave. between Fifth Street and Sixth Street. 

The space had been home to Sinsa, the well-regarded Korean American wine bar, since December 2024, and a sibling to Rice Thief in Long Island City.

There's a Marshal's notice dated Nov. 14 on the front door, stating that the landlord is now in legal possession of the space.

There isn't any mention of a closure on the Sinsa Instagram account. 

The Sinsa-Rice Thief team signed a lease for the space in December 2023, per TradedNY... and it took nearly a year to get the space ready to open. 

For years, No. 95 was Thailand Cafe, which did not reopen following the pandemic PAUSE of March 2020.

Sunday's parting shot

Photo by Cecil Scheib 

Tonight's moonrise against the backdrop of the Con Ed power plant on 14th Street and Avenue C...

Noted

Curbside discard as seen on 11th Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue — a neon sign reading "Woke Up Feeling Dangerous." 

So much for waking up feeling dangerous for the rest of 2026!

Thanks to EVG reader Erin Mumford for the photo!

CBGB audio doc gets another spin on WBAI

Back in September, we noted that WBAI Radio began broadcasting an audio documentary on CBGB.

This afternoon, WBAI re-aired "This Ain't No Disco, This Is CBGB-Episode 3 Part 1: The Club Opens."  

"It's only aired once, in September, so a lot of people missed it," said Jillian Jonas, senior producer of WBAI's public affairs show and a former CBGB employee, who is spearheading the project.   

Jonas said the episode should live in the station's archives for about two weeks. You can access it here.

The legendary music venue CBGB closed at 315 Bowery in October 2006. 

Week in Grieview

From a holiday week with fewer posts than usual … with an NYE  photo on 1st Avenue by Derek Berg

Never miss an EVG post with the weekly EVG newsletter. Free right here. 

• Stella of Ray's Candy Store, remembered by the neighborhood (Dec. 29) 

• Metro Acres Market confirmed for former East Village Rite Aid (Dec. 30) 

• Bands we like: Homade (Jan. 2) 

• Reading the signs: An art show opens at Psychic Readings on 5th Street (Jan. 4) 

• Openings: Justin’s Salt Bread on 2nd Avenue (Jan. 2) … Moon Coffee Lab on 1st Street (Dec. 29) 

• A hazy shade of winter in Tompkins Square Park (Dec. 29) 

• A December EVG recap (Dec. 30) 

• The most-viewed EVG stories of 2025 (Dec. 31) 

... and an NYE photo on St. Mark's Place via EVG reader Jason D. Newton...

Reading the signs: An art show opens at Psychic Readings on 5th Street

"DIVINATION: Trust Not Your Process, Trust Your Process" opened last night inside Psychic Readings on Fifth Street.

Presented by Desnivel Gallery, this is the latest East Village storefront to host an art show (joining a laundromat, a corner market, and a hardware store). 

The project continues Desnivel's interest in placing exhibitions outside traditional gallery settings, creating work that engages with neighborhood businesses and the East Village's history of artist-run and independent spaces. 

The latest exhibition features work by Aki Goto, a multimedia artist born in Tokyo and based in the Hudson Valley. Goto's practice spans video, sound, textiles, drawing, painting, performance and installation ...  drawing from lived experience to explore presence, memory, parenthood and everyday rituals.

As part of the exhibition, Marie at Psychic Readings is offering tarot readings using a deck specially designed by Goto, blending the artist's work with the shop's everyday rhythm. 

Info: 

Psychic Readings by Marie 

302 E. Fifth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue

On view 24/7 

Tarot Readings every day from 2-8 p.m. 

Desnivel Gallery, founded by Maria De Victoria, moved from the basement of her home to East Village storefronts to highlight the financial challenges of running an art space while also making art more accessible to the public.