Contrada has not been open lately

Multiple readers have noted that Contrada, the Mediterranean-influenced restaurant on Second Avenue at East Fourth Street, has been closed since at least Saturday... a look inside reveals a nearly empty space... and someone has removed the Contrada menus from outside...



In addition, the restaurant's phone is temporarily disconnected ... and Open Table isn't accepting any reservations at this time. (There isn't any mention of a vacation or other temporary closure on Contrada's social media properties.) We reached out to proprietor Eric Anderson to see what might be going on with the space.

In the spring of 2014, the space evolved from Calliope, a French bistro, to Contrada... this after the departure of chefs Ginevra Iverson and Eric Korsh in January 2014.

As for Contrada, they were trying to do something different, making connections with the local art community ... including a brunch-time conversation with "Invisible Hand" director Ken Rus Schmoll and a celebration of Dylan Thomas, among other events.

Photos Saturday by Derek Berg

Contrada offers a sneak preview in the former Calliope

As we first pointed out last week, Calliope, the nearly two-year-old French bistro at 84 E. Fourth St. and Second Avenue, has closed … with the ownership promising a quick reboot of the space with a new restaurant called Contrada. (The owners apparently won't need to change the C on the marquee.)

Sure enough, as these reader-submitted photos show, Contrada was open for a sneak preview of sorts this past weekend… apparently they don't have a new liquor license yet. The chalkboard below in the photo is cut off … it reads "They won't let us serve booze yet … but the food is INTOXICATING."



Here is a look at the menu … Contrada is serving food and wine "inspired by the Mediterranean."


[Click on image to enlarge]

Here's the Contrada website with menus and hours. The Contrada Facebook page has some photos of the various dishes and interior.

As for Calliope, Grub Street reported back in January that chefs Ginevra Iverson and Eric Korsh split with the restaurant's financial partner, Eric Anderson.

Calliope has closed; new venture coming very soon

[File photo]

Calliope, the nearly two-year-old French bistro at 84 E. Fourth St. and Second Avenue from alums of Prune and the Waverly Inn, has closed.

However, a new venture is in the works for a seemingly speedy turnaround. Per the Calliope website:

It's one of those good news/bad news things. The bad news first: Calliope has closed. It's sad to see something that meant so much to all of us and to you come to its end... but we're putting together a new project right here in the same space. That's the good news... starting this weekend, you can come into dinner at Contrada! Full details coming soon!

Probably not a big surprise. Grub Street reported back in January that chefs Ginevra Iverson and Eric Korsh split with Calliope's financial partner, Eric Anderson, and were no longer running the restaurant.

As for Contrada... sounds like Italian is on the way. (Maybe?)

Brian Van, who passed along this tip, also notes that the now-former Calliope interior is undergoing a minor rehab. The tables and chairs are all stacked but intact.


[Photo by Brian Van]

The space here was previously home to Belcourt, which, like Calliope, we never tried.

Painting Calliope

And leftover from yesterday... a few photos of the freshly painted Calliope on Second Avenue at East Fourth Street... People involved with the Waverly Inn and Prune are behind the new venture at the former Belcourt...