Villa Cemita is closing on Avenue A

If you've walked by Villa Cemita on Avenue A between Third Street and Fourth Street this week, then you may have noticed the sidewalk sale.

The Mexican restaurant is closing after service on Sunday. Several readers who stopped by to check out the sales were told that Villa Cemita may be relocating to an unspecified location in Brooklyn.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy, who took the photos in this post, noted the sidewalk sale, with items including plates, cups, glasses, flatware, and decor like mirrors and artwork...







Villa Cemita opened in March 2015. In April 2016, the son of the restaurant's owner, working as a bartender, was accused of drugging a patron and sexually assaulting another, according to published reports. The bartender reportedly denied any wrongdoing.

The restaurant also drew complaints from local Community Board members as well as the Board's district manager in recent years for a variety of infractions, including promoting boozy brunches and serving liquor while legally only possessing a beer-wine license. In June 2019, CB3 turned down their application for a full liquor license.

Per the official minutes of that meeting:

[G]iven that the applicant has made multiple alterations to its business, to wit enlarging and moving its bar, opening its façade, reducing its daytime hours of operation and adding drink specials, including "boozy brunches," without notice to the SLA, the community or the community board and contrary to its agreement with residents to obtain approval for its wine beer license, and given that there is still evidence that it continues to operate inconsistent from its current stipulations which are conditions of its license by continuing to have "boozy brunches" with unlimited drink specials and an open façade and it continues to access the residential portion of its building, Community Board 3 will not now approve its application to serve alcohol; now THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Community Board 3 recommends the denial of the application for a change in class of its wine beer license to a full on-premises liquor license ...

Puebla Mexican Food closes on 1st Avenue; Villacemita opens on Avenue A

As you know, Puebla Mexican Food is shutting down at 47 First Ave. between East Second Street and East Third Street. There were several closing dates… last we heard, owner Irma Marin would keep the 25-year-old quick-serve restaurant open through Monday.

Not sure what happened to those plans, but Puebla has officially closed… back on Wednesday, per one EVG reader. The storefront has mostly been cleaned out.

A rent hike is apparently to blame for this closure.

Meanwhile, at 50 Avenue A between East Third Street and East Fourth Street, Villacemita, serving Puebla Mexican cuisine, opens today at 4.


[Photo from last week]

Here are their menus… breakfast (served until 2 p.m.)…



… and dinner…





They have not yet posted their beer-wine menu.

After today, Villacemita's hours will be 7 a.m. to midnight every day.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Villacemita, serving authentic Puebla Mexican cuisine, announces itself on Avenue A

Puebla Mexican Food is closing after 25 years on 1st Avenue (29 comments)

Villacemita opens Saturday at 50 Avenue A

The new Mexican cafe opens Saturday at Avenue A between East Third Street and East Fourth Street. Workers removed the paper from the windows yesterday... a few readers told us that the space looks quite nice inside ...

The photos a reader tried to take for us are admittedly a little dark and blurry...





The cafe's website doesn't have the menus posted yet. You can find the website here.

The previous tenant here, Native Bean, moved to 36 Avenue A at the beginning of the year.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Villacemita, serving authentic Puebla Mexican cuisine, announces itself on Avenue A

Villacemita, serving authentic Puebla Mexican cuisine, announces itself on Avenue A

Interior renovations continue at 50 Avenue A between East Third Street and East Fourth Street. As we first noted on Jan. 6, a cafe featuring Mexican food is taking over the space that Native Bean held before moving to 36 Avenue A.

The sign is up now for the new tenant — Villacemita, serving authentic Puebla Mexican cuisine ...



There's a teaser website up now for the cafe ... there isn't any further information just yet. The cafe is in line to receive a beer-wine license. The owners were on this month's CB3/SLA committee docket.

According to paperwork (PDF!) on file at the CB3 website, Villacemita's proposed hours are 7 a.m. to midnight every day except for Sunday, when they'd close at 8 p.m. In total, there are 10 tables with seating for 20 people. The owners describes the place as "a small, community-oriented restaurant."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Space that houses Native Bean on Avenue A is for rent

Native Bean space apparently back on the market

Native Bean will be moving on Avenue A

Mexican food spot slated for former Native Bean space on Avenue A

Native Bean reopens in new Avenue A home