Black Seed Bagels and chef Bobby Hellen launch Black Seed Pizza

The Black Seed Bagels team today launches a new venture — Black Seed Pizza, a collaboration with Bobby Hellen, who ran GG's on Fifth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B for three years until December 2017.

Hellen will be working from Black Seed's East Village location on First Avenue between 10th Street and 11th Street. 

The opening menu features five pizzas, including standards such as Cheese, Tomato and White as well as several specialties like Bob's Pizza (seen below), which features sopressata, mozzarella blend, grana padano, pecorino, tomato sauce, castelvetrano olive, banana pepper, oregano and homemade chimichurri ...

The pizzas are available in two sizes — square (12" x 12", feeds 2-3 people) and round (9" diameter, feeds 1 person). Find the menu here.

Some details via the opening announcement:

Black Seed Pizza's dough is fermented for 36 hours and made from certified organic, stone ground flour from Wild Hive Farm in the Hudson Valley, non-GMO all-purpose flour from King Arthur Flour in Vermont, and a 100-year old sourdough starter. 

The sauce is made using certified organic Bianco DiNapoli San Marzano-style tomatoes from California. All pies are baked in Sicilian-style pans, in a wood-fired oven. Gluten-free dough options are available for the square pizzas, and a plant-based cheese (Numu) is available to substitute for mozzarella

The pizza will be available for pickup at 176 First Ave. and delivery through Black Seed Pizza's own site and also via the usual third-party delivery platforms. 

Hours: Sunday to Thursday from 4-10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday until 11 p.m.
 
The Black Seed founding partners (Noah Bernamoff, Matt Kliegman and Dianna Daoheung) have been friends with Hellen for years and say that this is more than a pop-up concept, but rather "a full-fledged, standalone business alongside the bagel operation, poised to grow and potentially operate out of more Black Seed locations with wood-fired ovens."

Storefront photo by Steven; pizza pic by Shay Harrington

Here is your new Violet awning on 5th Street

On Friday afternoon, workers hoisted the Violet awning here at 511 E. Fifth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B... another step toward the November grand opening of the grilled pizzeria from the Emmy Squared owners.



These links below have more background details...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Emmy Squared's owners are bringing grilled pizza to the former GG's space on 5th Street

Getting 511 E. 5th St. ready for new grilled pizza venture from Emmy Squared's owners

Countdown to grilled pizza on 5th Street

Name reveal: Emmy Squared's grilled-pizza sibling will be called Violet on 5th Street

Name reveal: Emmy Squared's grilled-pizza sibling will be called Violet on 5th Street

Violet is the name of the grilled pizzeria coming to 511 E. Fifth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Eater had the scoop yesterday on the name for the latest venture from Emmy Squared's husband-wife team of Matt and Emily Hyland. The place is named after the state flower of Rhode Island. Matt was born in Brooklyn, Emily in New Jersey, and they met at Roger Williams University in the Ocean State. (Hey, you learned two factoid about Rhode Island today!)

Aside from grilled pizzas inspired by the Providence-based Al Forno, the menu will feature recipes with Italian and Portuguese influences, per Eater.

Violet is expected to open in early November. And it seems on track given all the work going on in this former home of GG's.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Emmy Squared's owners are bringing grilled pizza to the former GG's space on 5th Street

Getting 511 E. 5th St. ready for new grilled pizza venture from Emmy Squared's owners

Countdown to grilled pizza on 5th Street

Countdown to grilled pizza on 5th Street

An EVG reader on Fifth Street has been keeping tabs on No. 511 here between Avenue A and Avenue B... where the owners of Emmy Squared are in the process of renovating the space for a grilled pizzeria (background here). Updates include an exterior paint job (above) this past weekend ... and the the delivery of kitchen equipment on Monday ...



The still-unnamed grilled pizzeria, which is expected to open in November, per New York, will also offer non-pizza dishes such as housemade pastas and grilled fish.

Next update will be when the new awning arrives. Or the mail.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Emmy Squared's owners are bringing grilled pizza to the former GG's space on 5th Street

Getting 511 E. 5th St. ready for new grilled pizza venture from Emmy Squared's owners

Getting 511 E. 5th St. ready for new grilled pizza venture from Emmy Squared's owners

Interior renovations started in earnest last week at 511 E. Fifth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

As previously reported, Emmy Squared was originally thought to be taking over the space. (Emmy Squared instead opened on First Avenue at Fifth Street.) And No. 511 remained in a dormant state following GG's departure last December.

Emmy Squared owners Matt and Emily Hyland recently announced that they will serve grilled ­pizza here, as New York magazine first reported.

The Hylands reportedly went to "grilled-pizza mecca" Al Forno in Providence, R.I., on their first date while they attended Roger Williams University.

Eater had more about grilled pizza:

It’s known for being crisp on the bottom but tender inside, with some smokiness from the grill. There’s not a lot of it in NYC, which is something the Hylands are familiar with after making Detroit pizza happen here with their breakout hit Emmy Squared.

The still-unnamed grilled pizzeria, which is expected to open in November, per New York, will also offer non-pizza dishes such as housemade pastas and grilled fish.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Emmy Squared's owners are bringing grilled pizza to the former GG's space on 5th Street

Emmy Squared signage arrives at the former Three of Cups

Renovations continue in the restaurant space at 83 First Ave. and Fifth Street...where two of the awnings for the new tenant — Emmy Squared — are now in place...







Emmy Squared, the Williamsburg-based restaurant serving burgers and Detroit-style pizza, is taking over this former home of Three of Cups, which shut down after service on April 1.

The Emmy Squared website doesn't have a specific opening date for the new East Village location, just "coming soon"

In announcing the closure, Three of Cups owner Anthony Barile wrote in part: "The reasons are many that we are at this moment, with all of them meaning that I can’t sustain it any longer." The pizzeria and Italian restaurant opened in December 1992.

Emmy Squared was originally thought to be taking over the GG's space on Fifth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B. That space, however, has been dormant since GG's closed on Dec. 23.


[Photo from Saturday]

A rep for Emmy Squared told Eater in March that they are "considering ... the former GG’s space for a new restaurant concept."

Previously on EV Grieve:
After nearly 26 years, Three of Cups is closing on 1st Avenue; Emmy Squared arriving next?

A look at the former GG's space on 5th Street

GG's ended its three-year run on Fifth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B two months ago to the date — Dec. 23.

The pizzeria's ownership decided to focus on other projects. It had been reported that Emmy Squared, the Williamsburg pizzeria serving Detroit-style pizza, was taking over. (CB3 OK'd their new liquor license back in December.)

A few readers asked what was happening with the space... there hadn't much activity here. In fact, a look inside in late January showed a motorcycle parked in the former dining room...



Since then, the space has been cleared out...



I reached out to the Emmy Squared folks a few weeks back... and they didn't have any updates just yet. They originally expected to open this spring, per Eater.

Emmy Squared is also opening an outpost soon in Nashville.

GG's closes tomorrow

As previously reported, GG's ends its three-year run tomorrow on Fifth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Owner Nick Morgenstern told Eater that business is good at GG's, but he and his partners want to focus on new projects, such as a restaurant for the Ace Hotel on the Bowery.

Here's the message GG's left on their social media....

Customers, Neighbors, and Friends,

For the past three years, GG’s has proudly served the East Village with the highest quality of pizza, drinks and service possible. We are grateful for the many meals and memories that you have shared with us.

After much consideration, we have decided to hand over the keys to 511 East 5th St to a new owner and operator.

This means that GG’s will close its doors permanently on Saturday, December 23rd.

We are proud of the success that GG's has seen over the years, and we're excited for what our individual futures hold.

It has been a joy to serve our friends and neighbors every day...

Something relatively similar will be taking over — Emmy Squared. The Williamsburg pizzeria serves Detroit-style pizza via the wife-and-husband team behind Emily on Downing Street.

No word on when they might be open for business here.

The address has been home to several restaurants since Le Tableau closed in December 2007. Before GG's, there was Goat Town, Seymour Burton and Butcher Bay.

Previously on EV Grieve:
GG's looks to be yielding to Emmy Squared on 5th Street

GG's looks to be yielding to Emmy Squared on 5th Street

The owners of Emmy Squared are applying for a new liquor license at 511 E. Fifth St. — the current home of GG's, the pizzeria between Avenue A and Avenue B, according to paperwork on file at the CB3 website. (PDF here.)

The paperwork filed ahead of Monday night's CB3-SLA meeting describes this as a sale of assets. The method of operation looks about the same with seating and hours (noon to midnight daily).

Emmy Squared in Williamsburg serves Detroit-style pizza via the wife-and-husband team behind Emily on Downing Street. (Neither of the owners, Emily and Matt Hyland, happen to be from Detroit.)

Eater once wrote that Emily and Emily Squared are "two of NYC's most exciting pizzerias."

A post shared by Emmy Squared (@emmysquaredpizza) on Nov 19, 2017 at 1:18pm PST

The Hylands are currently involved in a lawsuit with some investors.

GG's opened here in September 2014... after owner Nick Morgenstern decided to revamp his Goat Town space. Morgenstern told Eater that business is good at GG's, but he and his partners want to focus on new projects, such as a restaurant for the Ace Hotel on the Bowery.

GG's will close after service on Dec. 23.

The December CB3-SLA committee meeting is Monday at 6:30 p.m. at the Perseverance House Community Room, 535 E. Fifth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Goat Town is closing to make way for a pizzeria

The transformation of Goat Town to GG's on East 5th Street

GG's announces itself on East 5th Street

GG's introduces a Garden Dinner Kit with ingredients from its backyard garden

[Image via the GG's website]

GG's, the restaurant on East Fifth Street between Avenue A and B that sources ingredients from its 18-bed backyard garden, is launching the following starting today:

The Garden Dinner Kit is a CSA meets meal planner: order online and pick up your box every Thursday. All ingredients​ will be included with a detailed pamphlet on how to prepare your meal. Each kit includes everything you need to make a pizza, salad and side dish with GG's homemade dough, sauces and garden grown vegetables. The menu changes monthly based on what the garden is producing. A detailed preparation pamphlet will be included.

Ordering: Each box is $40 for a dinner for four, and they can be ordered on the website with pickup every Thursday from 4-7 PM.

The first Dinner Kit menu features ingredients for Black Radish & Pea Shoot Square Pie with Chimichurri; Ricotta Stuffed Grape Leaves; and a Garden Salad with Garden Berry Vinaigrette.

Find more details at the GG's website here.

GG's, bringing pizza from the backyard to your table on East 5th Street

[Photo from early September via EVG reader Sal]

GG's is now in soft-open mode at 511 E. Fifth St. Goat Town owner Nick Morgenstern revamped the space here between Avenue A and Avenue B officially opens this weekend.

Eater got a sneak preview.

The menu is more relaxed than Goat Town's, with a strong emphasis on pizza, and some ingredients still coming from the backyard. Pies include the "Ev Greenery", which is topped with greens, lamb chorizo, sauce vert, grano padano, cherry tomatoes and pickled red onion. There is also a clam pie with three varieties of bivalves on it and a pie topped with morcilla and ricotta. Slices of two pies are available daily for around $4 at lunch.

Head over to Eater for shots of the interior and the menus.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Goat Town is closing to make way for a pizzeria

The transformation of Goat Town to GG's on East 5th Street

GG's announces itself on East 5th Street

GG's announces itself on East 5th Street

The awning is up now at GG's, the new restaurant taking over the Goat Town space at 511 E. Fifth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Goat Town owner Nick Morgenstern closed the bistro in early July after four years. His new chef, Bobby Hellen, "will forage the back garden for ingredients, including anise hyssop for the devout Mets fan’s 1986 Pizza, topped with spicy soppressata and fennel agrodolce," according to New York magazine.

And here's an interior shot...



As for GG's, New York noted — "its name a tribute to a neighborhood local." This former local?

Thanks to EVG reader Sal on Fifth St. for the top photo.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Goat Town is closing to make way for a pizzeria

The transformation of Goat Town to GG's on East 5th Street

The transformation of Goat Town to GG's on East 5th Street

We walked by the former Goat Town space the other morning ... where the 4-year-old bistro at 511 E. Fifth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B closed in early July.

Workers have gutted the restaurant to make way for a new concept from the owners called called GG's, which "will serve a very different menu than the current New American menu, but will still include ingredients sourced from the restaurant's back garden," a rep told Eater.

As far as the new space goes, we took a look through the mostly papered windows… still appears to be in the gut renovation stage…



The address has been home to several restaurants since Le Tableau closed in December 2007. Before Goat Town, the space was home to Seymour Burton and Butcher Bay.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Goat Town is closing to make way for a pizzeria