Openings: Rakka on 1st Avenue

Photo by Steven 

Rakka debuted last week before the holiday at 156 First Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street. 

As we mentioned earlier in the month, this is a return for the quick-serve Middle-Eastern restaurant that had outposts on St. Mark's Place and Avenue B. 

Rakka continues to serve some staples, including falafel ($6.50) and chicken shawarma ($8.75) sandwiches. 

There are two tables here... otherwise, it's a primarily to-go operation. 

Daily hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The return of Rakka!

Top photo by Steven; photo below by William Klayer

A familiar restaurant looks to be returning to the East Village.

On Saturday, workers hoisted signage for Rakka at 156 First Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street...

Rakka (depending on the era, DBA Cafe Rakka or Rakka Cafe) had a long run offering affordable Middle-Eastern cuisine at 81 St. Mark's Place at First Avenue until the summer of 2021. Rakka's Avenue B outpost closed in late 2013.

(Of note: This sign states "since 1985" ...  the most recent signage on St. Mark's stated established in 1978, while the previous version had 1982! Anyway!)

The retail space at 156 First Ave. was previously Hello Banana Vintage, which quietly closed over the summer.

Old-timer Rakka Cafe doesn't appear to be coming back on St. Mark's Place

Photos by Steven

Rakka Cafe went dark last summer at 81 St. Mark's Place at First Avenue... without any "temporarily closed" signage for patrons.

Some faithful were hopeful that the quick-serve Middle Eastern restaurant would reopen one of these days. (Its website remains active.)

As you can see, though, someone has petty much cleared out the interior...

... and the other day, legal papers arrived on the door showing that the restaurant owners owe $188,000 (and change) in back rent...

They had a great run, in any event. The now-obscured current sign says established in 1978. (The previous awning stated 1982!) The space underwent a renovation and name switcheroo from Cafe Rakka to Rakka Cafe in 2013. 

From Cafe Rakka to Dojo Izakaya on Avenue B

Workers continue to transform the former Cafe Rakka space at 38 Avenue B into Dojo Izakaya, which the Post described as "a Japanese gastropub."



It will be the latest restaurant from chef David Bouhadana, who opened Sushi Dojo in June 2013 at the former Polonia on First Avenue.

The inexpensive long-timer Cafe Rakka got Cromanated last November here near East Third Street.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Chef David Bouhadana looking to open Dojo Izakaya in former Cafe Rakka space on Avenue B

Chef David Bouhadana looking to open Dojo Izakaya in former Cafe Rakka space on Avenue B

[EVG file photo from November]

The inexpensive long-timer Cafe Rakka got Cromanated last November at 38 Avenue B near East Third Street.

And someone called Harvey. Paperwork filed ahead of Tuesday's CB3/SLA committee meeting show that applicants Boris Lidukhover, owner of Sushi Dojo at 110 First Ave., and his chef David Bouhadana (the "twentysomething sushi wunderkind" per Grub Street), want to open Dojo Izakaya in the small space on Avenue B.



The application (PDF!) for a beer-wine license shows a 10-table (19 total seats) configuration ... and a small chef's eating counter. The proposed hours are 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Monday through Sunday.

The materials also include a handwritten sample menu, showing several variations of yakitori as well as grilled pike eel, among other things.



Sushi Dojo opened in June 2013 in the space that previously housed Polonia.

Cafe Rakka closes on B; Rakka Cafe reopens on St. Mark's Place

[Photo via @zmack]

As we previously mentioned, a "store for rent" sign arrived at Cafe Rakka on Avenue B near East Third Street. Turns out a rent hike to $6,000 is to blame for the closure.

Meanwhile, while the Avenue B location has now closed, the outpost on St. Mark's Place, now going by Rakka Cafe, has reopened after a renovation.

Cafe Rakka looks to be a goner on Avenue B

[Photo courtesy of Ray LeMoine]

Ugh. Long-timer Cafe Rakka on Avenue B is for rent ... the familiar sign of Croman Realty's "Call Harvey" can't be missed.

Too bad — Cafe Rakka is always a nice, affordable option here near East Third Street. Anyway, it remains open for now.

Meanwhile, the Cafe Rakka — now called Rakka Cafe — is undergoing renovations on St. Mark's Place.

Cafe Rakka's (Rakka Cafe's) new look

Cafe Rakka at 81 St. Mark's Place has been closed these past six or so weeks while undergoing a renovation... their new signage is up... and it shows a name switcheroo — from Cafe Rakka to Rakka Cafe...



Paperwork on file at the CB3 website points to a corporate name change, though there's not much else info... The Avenue B location remains open...

Cafe Rakka closed for renovations on St. Mark's Place

The always reliable Middle Eastern spot at 81 St. Mark's Place is currently closed for renovations... (and this is an actual renovation, not code for, say, we're getting the hell out of here before the landlord figures out that we left in the dead of night ...)

The Avenue B location near East Third Street remains open for your design-your-own combo platters...



Also, Cafe Rakka is on this month's CB3/SLA agenda... paperwork on file points to a corporate name change...