Aura Bar & Kitchen is back on 1st Avenue

Aura Bar & Kitchen returns to service today at 111 First Ave. between Sixth Street and Seventh Street.

The restaurant, with various small plates and pasta dishes, debuted here in late December... before taking a break last month while awaiting a liquor license.

As previously noted, ownership here was behind Cafe Mocha, which was wiped out by a three-alarm fire in February 2020 at 48 E. Seventh St./116 Second Ave. Any hopes for a reopening were dashed when another fire destroyed the corner building in December 2020. 

Cafe Mocha first opened in the East Village in 2008.

Aura's hours are listed as 4 p.m.-midnight on Tuesday-Wednesday; until 1 a.m. Thursday; and 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. The Aura website is at this link.

A new Aura for 1st Avenue

Signage is up now for Aura, which is the new establishment from the owners of Cafe Mocha here at 111 First Ave. just south of Seventh Street. (Thanks to Steven for the photo!)

Cafe Mocha was wiped out by a three-alarm fire in February 2020 at 48 E. Seventh St./116 Second Ave. Any hopes for a reopening were dashed when another fire destroyed the corner building in December 2020. 

No. 111 became available when Suki Japanese Kitchen relocated to St. Mark's Place this past summer.

Cafe Mocha first opened in the East Village in 2008. No word on when the new all-day cafe will debut. 

Previously