Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
The latest Joey Bats Café makes its soft-opening debut today... at the Essex Market.
Yesterday, I spotted founder Joey Batista and his mother, Isabel Fernandes, at the market's newest stall...
The Café only serves original-flavor pastéis de natas (aka, Portuguese custard tarts) and Portuguese coffee, with other flavors planned for the future.
Joey is aiming for daily hours of 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. — except Sunday when the Market closes at 6 p.m. 
After visiting with Joey and Isabel, I went downstairs to see the Market Line, which sadly was pretty empty compared to the bustling Essex Market.
News broke earlier this month that the food hall inside Essex Crossing is closing on April 1.
The vendors I spoke with asked me to tell people they will be here for another month and a half...
7 comments:
Yeah, I'm pissed that the Market Line is closing; what are they going to repllace it with, a library branch?
I wanted Market Line to succeed, but there was something off about it from the beginning. I think it had to do with it being underground compared to the brighter, airier upstairs of the market itself. Also, all the places I tried down there were super inconsistent in quality, places like Slice Joint or Nixtamal, which could be phenomenal at times.
Joey Bats' food is so good! Hoping for the best for them. Anyone remember this Portuguese sandwich place in Hell's Kitchen pre-pandemic? It was simple but delicious.
Custard tarts chase me everywhere I go. I am helpless against their lightly caramelized goodness!!!
Great add for Essex market the natas are unbelievable
The one place from the Market Line I will be sad to see good is Que Chevere. We lost every Puerto Rican cuchifrito we had in the neighborhood long ago, and they filled that hole with yummy papas rellenas and pastellilos. I love Castillo de Jagua for a Dominican sit-down or take-out meal, but sometimes you just want something quick and on-the-go. It would be so great if they could open a standalone place somehwhere nearby!
I think a big hindrance to success of the Market Line was schlepping down and up the stairs. It's a long ways down. The elevator took too long. They should have put in an escalator.
This completely true. Escalators would make a huge difference.
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