Avenue C Restaurant has apparently closed on Avenue C

[Photo from Friday]

Several readers have noted that Avenue C Restaurant has been dark of late... including through this past weekend.

There isn't any word of a closure — temporary or otherwise — on the restaurant's website or social media properties. Calls to the restaurant go unanswered (the voicemail system has not been set up, per a message). Meanwhile, Open Table is reporting that this is a permanent closure...



The restaurant just debuted last July at 102 Avenue C between Sixth Street and Seventh Street. One EVG regular who lived nearby said that the staff was friendly, but the place didn't do much to distinguish itself for return visits. (The website copy was stunningly generic: "Welcome to Avenue C Restaurant, the new trendiest American restaurant on the Lower East Side! From it’s industrial décor, to chic vibe we deliver the location to enjoy an amazing experience.")

Someone put a lot of money into the space, giving it a whole new look from its nine years as Edi & the Wolf, which resembled some kind of cozy Austrian garage. Executive chefs Eduard "Edi" Frauneder and Wolfgang "the Wolf" Ban decided to close up last April due to "increasing operating costs," Eater reported.

Avenue C Restaurant coming soon to Avenue C

Signage is up now for Avenue C Restaurant, the name of the new establishment that's taking over the former Edi & the Wolf space at 102 Avenue C between Sixth Street and Seventh Street. (Thanks to Vinny & O for the photo from Saturday.)

We don't know much about this venture. In January, an applicant — listed as Rosey Kalayjian — appeared before CB3's SLA committee for a new liquor license for the space in what was described as a sale of assets. The CB3 materials cited the proposal as "an American restaurant" with hours of 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Kalayjian has previously managed restaurants in Westchester and NYC.

As for an opening date, someone wrote "coming soon" on the front window.

Edi & the Wolf — named for its executive chefs, Eduard "Edi" Frauneder and Wolfgang "the Wolf" Ban — closed in April after nine years in service due to "increasing operating costs," Eater reported.

Edi & the Wolf closes after service on Sunday

Austrian bar-restaurant Edi & the Wolf is closing Sunday after nine years at 102 Avenue C between Sixth Street and Seventh Street.

The restaurant — named after its executive chefs, Eduard "Edi" Frauneder and Wolfgang "the Wolf" Ban — is closing due to "increasing operating costs," Eater reports.

The closure had been expected, as a new applicant — listed as Rosey Kalayjian — appeared before CB3's SLA committee for a new liquor license for the space back in January in what was described as a sale of assets. The CB3 materials cited the proposal as "an American restaurant" with hours of 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Kalayjian has previously managed restaurants in Westchester and NYC.

Frauneder and Ban also operate The Third Man at 116 Avenue C. No word on the status of that bar.

A woody start for The Third Man on Avenue C

The plywood came down around the former Lava Gina space the other day on Avenue C between East Seventh Street and East Eighth Street... Dave on 7th passed along this photo from yesterday...

Coming soon: A new cocktail lounge from the Edi & the Wolf people down the next block... The lounge will be called The Third Man, named after the 1949 film-noir classic starring Orson Welles and Joseph Cotton.

Per Eater: "The Third Man's food program will focus on Austrian-style small plates ... it'll be a fairly small, 15 seat affair. The décor is inspired by Vienna's Loos Bar, complete with 'floating' steel bar hanging from the ceiling."

Edi & the Wolf team aims to open bar-lounge on Avenue C

Also on this month's CB/SLA docket:

• 116 Avenue C Restaurant LLC, 116 Ave C (op)

According to the application (PDF) posted on the CB3 website, Edi & the Wolfe partners Eduard Frauneder and Wolfgang Ban are aiming to take over the former Lava Gina space here between Seventh Street and Eighth Street. (Edi & the Wolf is the well-regarded Austrian restaurant/wine tavern that opened in late 2010 at 102 Avenue C.)

Not a lot of information on the application. The unnamed space is being called a "bar/lounge" with proposed hours of 6 p.m. to 4 a.m. The proposal calls for eight tables and a bar that seats 15 people. They will also serve food, though there aren't any details about that just yet.

The CB3/SLA meeting is Monday, March 19 at 6:30 p.m. — JASA/Green Residence, 200 E. Fifth St. at Bowery.