At 88 Second Ave, the diner Kitchen Sink went dark in the summer of 2021... and ownership later transformed the space into a Greek restaurant called Eros... which quietly closed in August 2022 ... to later emerge as Sunflower East Village, which closed for a "restructure" four months later. This sister cafe to the one on Third Avenue in Gramercy Park never reopened.
Now someone else will have a shot of making something work in this prime EV space...
I don't know what their business looked like internally before the pandemic, but it seemed like they missed a big opportunity. Kitchen Sink was almost on the level with Remedy and Veselka, it had some strengths the other two didn't in my opinion. Meanwhile Remedy and Veselka only ever become busier over time, and for whatever reason Kitchen Sink seemed to fade.
ReplyDeleteTook the family to Veselka last weekend. The food never disappoints. But they are now one price hike away from losing this longtime regular. Just can't swing it.
DeletePuleeeeese just an old fashioned diner. Diner food, reasonable prices, Breakfast and lunch specials. Little Poland is the last of them in the neighborhood. Surely there's room for one more to be successful.
ReplyDeletePlease help me find a "reasonably" priced diner in Manhattan. Dinners prices are on par with restaurants for a long time now.
DeleteThis has been a diner space for so long, at least as far as I can remember. It always fails. I don't know why. The food wasn't so good when it was a branch of Moonstruck. Kitchen Sink as far as I can tell was a delivery app rebrand of Moonstruck. Everything was pretty greasy. Sunflower up in Gramercy is ok. Nothing special. I'll always take Joe Junior instead. If Remedy Diner (which is killer) can thrive on Houston, why can't this place?
DeleteReply to @Anonymous: "Please help me find a "reasonably" priced diner in Manhattan." -- Murray Hill Diner. Don't tell ANYONE lol
DeleteThank you. Does it have a very Murray Hill clientele or is it bearable?
DeleteSo sadly true.
ReplyDeleteNot sure why they ever dumped Moonstruck. It was always popular. Kitchen Sink was a decent follower, but it was never promoted very well. After that, well, a complete nosedive.
ReplyDeleteI commented here several times warning the Sunflower people that the prices they planned for their menu were unsustainable in this neighborhood. I gave them 6 months but they didn’t even last that long. There are many good options at more reasonable prices in this area.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the others. A reasonably priced diner with all day breakfast under $15 wil be a hit.
Would also be great to have an option open til at least midnight besides Veselka and Remedy especially Japanese though don’t see that happening. Speaking of Japanese cuisine options in the neighborhood staying open later, is Kotobuki ever going to open their promised new neighborhood location since demolition of the Third Avenue strip between 10th and 11th Streets where they were housed forced their closing two years ago?
ReplyDeleteI still remember when it was originally Cooper Square. Bring back that model, or at least The Kitchen Sink. Why did they decide to rebrand to the Greek spot?
ReplyDeleteOne of the last times I recall going there (end of 2019?)... I sat by myself at the bar. There was a mixologist there showing the Friday evening bartender how to make these unnecessarily complicated (for the space) cocktails that the Kitchen Sink was planning to offer in an effort to attract a younger crowd... or anyone who wanted a lemon & elderflower fizz with their grilled cheese and fries.
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