CR7 Gourmet Deli opens on 1st Avenue

The CR7 Gourmet Deli has opened on the SE corner of First Avenue and Second Street. 

The 24/7 deli offers a variety of fresh-made sandwiches, salads, smoothies and juices... as well as your usual corner market fare.

CR7 takes over the space from Spiegel, the European-style cafe that closed in the summer of 2020 and was rumored to be returning here. 

As previously noted, this is now a competitive corner with Food You Desire 3, the Deli & Smoke Shop and another new arrival — the Manhattan Smoke Shop a few steps away on Second Street ...

As a P.S., the scary Seinfeld wheatpaste remains in place on the Second Street wall outside CR7...

So much for Spiegel's return: CR7 Gourmet Deli slated for 1st Avenue and 2nd Street

Signage is up now for CR7 Gourmet Deli on the SE corner of First Avenue and Second Street. 

Don't know anything about the incoming business... other than that there's plenty of competition for CR7 (named for Cristiano Ronaldo?) within steps of the corner, including Food You Desire 3 and the Deli & Smoke Shop (not to mention the new Manhattan Smoke Shop). 

This arrival also means that Spiegel will not be returning to this space. There were rumors of the cafe's return this past summer, and ownership was even on the CB3-SLA docket for a liquor license (application withdrawn in July). The corner cafe opened in 2014 and closed during the pandemic. 

Who's NOT on tonight's CB3-SLA docket: Roberta's Pizza, Spiegel

CB's SLA committee meets tonight... as of now, five applicants will be appearing before the group. 

Meanwhile, several applicants are no longer on tonight's docket... including two of particular interest. One is Spiegel ... multiple tipsters told us at the start of the summer that the cafe is returning to its former home at 26 First Ave. at Second Street ...

Expect to see them another month as they apply for a new liquor license for the corner space. (They previously had a full liquor license until they closed at some point during the pandemic.) 

Also no longer on tonight's agenda — Roberta's Pizza.

As previously reported, 15 Avenue A between Houston and Second Street is undergoing a vertical expansion.

The new retail tenant was expected to be a wine bar from Bushwick-based pizzeria Roberta's.

Chef-owner Carlo Mirarchi told Grub Street in September 2019 that they were going to open what he called Roberta's Wine Bar.

However, nothing more was ever mentioned about the project, and it was unknown if those plans were moving forward. Obviously so with the application for a new liquor license. (The retail space at 15 Avenue A was previously the Family Dental Center, which moved down to Essex Street in 2017.)

Roberta's got its start in Bushwick in 2008. As Eater noted, Roberta's had been on an expansion kick, with openings in several food halls, and adding two locations in Los Angeles and one in Williamsburg ... not to mention its frozen pizza business ... and burger joint.

Spiegel said to be returning to 1st Avenue

Multiple tipsters have shared the news that Spiegel will return to its former home at 26 First Ave. at Second Street. 

Several readers say they have seen owner Shmulik Avital at the space in recent days. (He apparently confirmed the news of the return to one reader.) 

There isn't any notice of a reopening on the Spiegel Instagram account, and no one responded to a message about the comeback.

The corner cafe that first opened in 2014 was serving takeout and delivery for part of last summer before going dark in early August. While there wasn't an official notice about a closure on any fronts, workers removed the signage on Sept. 9. The storefront has remained vacant since then.

Has Spiegel closed?

 

A lot of readers have asked about the status of Spiegel, the corner cafe at 26 First Ave. and Second Street.

The space was serving takeout and delivery for part of the summer before going dark in early August. While there hasn't been an official notice about a closure on any fronts, the Spiegel phone is no longer in service. 

Workers were also spotted removing the signage on Sept. 9...

 

Owner Shmulik Avital opened Spiegel in March 2014.

And Spiegel is just one of a handful of local bars-restaurants that have remained dark in recent weeks-months, prompting questions whether the businesses will ever return.

On First Avenue and East 2nd Street, deli out, American-Middle Eastern restaurant in

The Bistro Cafe & Grill on the corner of First Avenue and East Second Street has vacated the premises after 18 months … in its place will be Spiegel, an American-Middle Eastern restaurant with hours from 8 a.m. to midnight.



Here's the menu that the Spiegel folks submitted with their CB3 liquor license application last month… (CB3 approved the beer-wine license.)



Meanwhile, the Cafe & Grill relocated a few storefronts away to the First & First Finest Deli.

Thanks to EVG regular Salim for the tip and photos.