Banana Leaf slips away on East 6th Street

[EVG photo from Jan. 29]

The Sri Lankan restaurant Banana Leaf moved from its Chelsea location to 328 E. Sixth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue ... opening in the former Spice Cove space (same owners) in December.

We noticed that they were closed on a recent weekend night.

And now after just a few months on the block, they are apparently closed for good.

Vinny & O sent along these photos from last night... showing that the place is now called Tonkatsuya...



... and they are hiring waitstaff and delivery people, per the sign on the door...



We called Banana Leaf's number... only to hear an outgoing message for Spice Cove.

Updated: Ballaro has closed on 2nd Avenue

[Photo from Tuesday night]

The all-day cafe at 77 Second Ave. between East Fourth Street and East Fifth Street has closed.

Several readers noted that the space was dark all week... and we received confirmation of the closure yesterday.

The low-key Ballaro, which served Italian coffee and pastries during the day, and beer, wine and small plates in the evening hours, opened here in May 2009. The owners also run Cacio e Pepe and Cacio e Vino nearby.

The owners also operated a short-lived bakery on East Fifth Street that, unfortunately, only lasted just four months.

As we first reported last August, the cafe made headlines after drunken Taylor Swift fans apparently terrorized the staff by demanding they play more of the pop star's music on the house stereo. (Not really a Taylor Swift kinda place, you know?)

Ballaro wrote about the incident on Facebook:

One of the women in the group took out her phone and said that she was going to make a viral video so no one would come to Ballaro anymore. Now this, more than anything, upsets me because Ballaro is a gathering place for neighbors, friends, lovers and strangers alike. We have a community that gathers in Ballaro and we all love and support each other and welcome anyone in our restaurant and bar. To possibly lose all that because of someone’s tainted point of view on social media, would be the worst thing.


My mission is to make everyone who enters through the front door feel like they are at home, because sometimes New York hardens even the best of us and we forget the true values in life: community and peace. 


Updated:

The owners passed along this message to us:

We want thank all of our customers and staff for the support and hard work over the past 7 years. With rising cost of operating a small business in NYC and the changes in the neighborhood, we could not longer stay afloat. Feel free to drop by our other restaurant Cacio e Vino across the street from Ballaro. Thank you again to everyone who helped to make Ballaro a place that will truly be missed.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Why Taylor Swift fans treated the staff like shit at Ballaro on 2nd Avenue

[Updated] Mumbles has closed on 3rd Avenue

[Photo via]

Stepping away from the East Village for a moment... Mumbles, the bar-restaurant on Third Avenue at East 17th Street, has closed after 22 years in business.

The owners left a note on the door about the closure...

It is with great regret that Mumbles will be closing its doors. We have appreciated all of the loyal patronage, and have always felt to be a welcomed fixture in the community. For the last 22 years we have totally enjoyed all of the great relationships that we have established in the neighborhood. There are many reasons for the decision to sell, and it wasn’t made without great thought and sadness. We thank you all for the great memories and friendships that were established here.

Updated 10 p.m.

La Follia will be moving into this space from Third Avenue and East 19th Street ... According to the Italian restaurant's website: "We will be serving our same delicious menu plus artisanal wood fired Pizza and our great regional Italian wines." So what will be going into La Follia's prime corner space?

Also, I didn't realize that Town & Village had already covered this closing. Here's a belated link to Sabina Mollot's article. T&V spoke with owner David Feldman:

“I decided to sell and there’s a multitude of reasons,” said Feldman. “Business hasn’t exactly been great. It’s the end of a neighborhood staple and people are going to be upset, but just because it’s a little cold out or it’s raining, you’ve still got to support your neighborhood businesses.”

Business had been “a challenge” for the past five years, he said, with family-oriented businesses like his being pushed out as the Gramercy neighborhood got younger.

“The young influx — we got some, but I don’t know if it’s past its time. All of the young people want trendy places.”

H/T BagelGuy

[Updated] DF Mavens has closed (for now) on 2nd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

Well, it's apparently lights out now for DF Mavens, the vegan ice cream shop and cafe on the northwest corner of Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place.

The shop is dark... and there is a sign...



However, according to a DFM Facebook post this afternoon: "Our St. Marks location is closed until further notice. We are still available at retail locations."

Not sure what "until further notice" means here.

Anyway, the shop was open for business yesterday.

DF Mavens opened their first retail space here on Dec. 26, 2014. The storefront was previously home to Eastside Bakery (.net?)

And this corner continues to be a tough spot for any retail establishment. Maybe it's time to bring back the Gap!

Updated 8:56 p.m.

In a tweet, DFM said "don't fret," that they were working on the situation...

Updated 1/28

Officially closed...

Dear Valued Customers,Many thanks for the support and sadness you expressed in social media postings about our recent...

Posted by DF Mavens on Thursday, January 28, 2016

Previously on EV Grieve:
Prepping for the arrival of DF Mavens on 2nd Avenue and St. Mark's Place (29 comments)

PYT has closed on the Bowery after just 3 months

PYT — "Home of America's Craaaziest Burgers" — debuted on the Bowery last October. And despite a lot of opening publicity, PYT has closed. For rent signs now hang on the window here at 334 Bowery between Great Jones and Bond.

To date, there isn't any mention of the closure on the PYT social media properties.

This was the first NYC outpost of the Philadelphia burger place known for some pretty wacky creations. Like the Cocoa Krispies Chicken Burger. They also offered the $64 "Basquiat Burger," a misguided effort at paying homage to the neighborhood that BoweryBoogie described as an example of "utter cluelessness"

The space may officially be a doomed location. It was home to Forcella Bowery for nearly three years until November 2014 … only to be replaced in December 2014 by the tapas-friendly Espoleta, which closed six months later to make way for Gia Trattoria. They quickly closed. Then PYT arrived.

The adjacent space, the former SRO Pizza, is also for lease.



Previously on EV Grieve:
PYT bringing its offbeat burger creations to the Bowery

The former New York Macaroni Co. space is for rent on St. Mark's Place

The for rent sign is now up at 102 St. Mark's Place, marking the end of New York Macaroni Co.'s 6-month run.

We don't know why they closed. Never seemed all that busy to us. But maybe they were making a lot of mac-and-cheese deliveries. When they opened last June 29, at least two EVG readers gave their food high marks. (The Yelp reviews were mostly positive.)

Anyway, upon closing at the end of 2015, the owners wrote on Facebook: "We appreciated the opportunity to serve you guys a really high-quality product. Thanks for all the support!"

The previous speciality-food tenant here between Avenue A and First Avenue, Puddin', never reopened after the city found them operating with an expired food service establishment permit in November 2014.

As for the storefront, the listing at Winick notes the rent is available upon request.

Pushcart Coffee closes East Village location

An EVG reader stopped by Pushcart Coffee on Third Avenue at East 12th Street in NYU's Third North dorm retail property this morning... only to find a sign that the place closed for good after service yesterday...



The sign simply says "unfortunately, we had to close our doors." This location opened on July 1. The other Pushcart locations remain open.

As previously noted, there were already many coffee choices right around here with the Wayside on East 12th Street just west of Third Avenue ... City of Saints Coffee Roasters on East 10th Street between Fourth Avenue and Third Avenue ... Third Rail Coffee on East 10th Street near Second Avenue ... Think Coffee on Fourth Avenue between East 12th Street and East 13th Street… Everyman Espresso on East 13th Street west of Third Avenue… and the newly opened Le Café Coffee at 145 Fourth Ave. between East 13th Street and East 14th Street. Not to mention the recently relocated Dunkin' Donuts on East 14th Street just east of Third Avenue.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Pushcart Coffee opening an East Village outpost (20 comments)

The Barrel has closed on Stuyvesant Street

The Barrel, the tapas bar at 10 Stuyvesant Street adjacent to East Ninth Street, has closed.

EVG reader Christopher Pelham passes along this photo from last night… The sign on the door says, "We have loved getting to know you and serving you these past years! … We will miss all of you."

We didn't hear any reason for this closing. The Barrel stopped its weekday lunch service back in September. There isn't any mention of the closure on The Barrel's social media properties.

As we recall, the owners of Panya next door opened The Barrel five-plus years ago, taking over part of the former Around the Clock space. That 20-year-old diner closed in January 2009.

10 Degrees Bistro won't be reopening on Avenue A

The for lease sign arrived on the front door yesterday.



As we first reported on Aug. 18, the landlord took legal possession of the restaurant at 131 Avenue A between St. Mark's Place and East Ninth Street.

A sign arrived the next day noting that 10 Degrees was closed for maintenance…



Also on Aug. 19, 10 Degrees took to Facebook to explain the situation… renegotiating terms with the landlord…



The proprietors of Ten Degrees Bar around the corner on St. Mark's Place took over operations of the Flea Market Cafe in March 2013 ... changing the name to 10 Degrees Bistro in December 2013.

10 Degrees Bar remains open.

Previously on EV Grieve:
New-look Flea Market Cafe shows itself on Avenue A; reopens March 11

Flea Market Cafe reopens today, and here's the menu

Was the fire at Flea Market yesterday suspicious?

On Avenue A, Flea Market Cafe is now Ten Degrees Bistro

The Marshal seizes 10 Degrees Bistro on Avenue A

Le Marécage has apparently closed on 1st Avenue

The understated restaurant, which served an interesting mix of food from Haiti and the Ivory Coast, remained dark throughout the weekend here at 137 First Ave. just north of St. Mark's Place.

There's also a notice — dated Thursday — on the front window that the landlord has taken legal possession of the space…



Le Marécage, run by a husband-wife team (he was a longtime instructor at the French Culinary Institute), opened last October.

Not sure what happened here. The Times gave the place a glowing notice in its Hungry City column in March. Perhaps it couldn't compete with the other new, buzzier restaurants that opened nearby on First Avenue like Oiji or Noreetuh, which prompted reviews by Pete Wells at the Times.

D-Lish Pita has closed on Avenue A

D-Lish Pita has joined former neighbors Benny's (and Benny's to-go) in going out of business on Avenue A at East Sixth Street.

A for rent sign hangs from the D-Lish sign… and three storefronts are now vacant here.



D-Lish opened in late 2010… taking over the space from Habib's Place. We never actually tried D-Lish. Difficult to break out of the Rakka Cafe or Mamoun's habit on St. Mark's Place.

Rent hike dooms East 6th Street mainstay Gandhi

We saw that the gate was down this past weekend at East Sixth Street anchor Gandhi ...

The sign directs people to go to Haveli Banjara around the corner on Second Avenue...



Turns out that this is a permanent closure here at 345 E. Sixth St. just west of First Avenue. A staffer at Haveli confirmed to EVG reader Michael Hirsch that Gandhi has closed for good, that a rent increase pushed out the restaurant.

Gandhi, which opened in 1984, is the second longtime Indian restaurant to close this year on East Sixth Street because of a rent hike. The 42-year-old Mitali East was Cromanated back in March.

Both Gandhi and Mitali East directed their customers to Haveli, just like Banjara did in 2013.

Bodhi Tree closes on 3rd Avenue

The Thai restaurant at 58 Third Ave. between East 10th Street and East 11th Street shut down late last week … and a for lease sign has already arrived in the front window.

The proprietors ran two other places in Brooklyn, both of which are closed now as we understand it.

Bodhi Tree opened in the spring of 2009 … the space was previously home to the worst Taco Bell in America.*

The building at 58 Third Ave. remains on the market. The listing notes that "the building currently has 6,308 sq ft, but an additional 4,786 sq ft. may be added."

* Blanket statement

The former Contrada space is for rent

[Photo by Vinny & O]

Contrada, the Mediterranean-influenced restaurant on Second Avenue at East Fourth Street, quietly closed earlier this month.

Apparently the closure isn't temporary: A for rent sign arrived at the space yesterday,

Per the listing at Alpha Properties, the asking rent is $16,000 with $200,000 key money.

In the spring of 2014, the space evolved from Calliope, a French bistro. Prior to this, Belcourt held forth in the space.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Contrada has not been open lately

Give the former Salt and Pepper space a shake as a pop-up shop on 1st Avenue

[Image via Loop Net]

We can't really say for sure when Salt & Pepper on First closed ... the gates of the inexpensive Indian restaurant went down for good some time in March.

In any event, the space at 239 First Ave. at East 14th Street hit the market yesterday. Per the listing: "POP-UP space available. Standard lease terms also considered."

The rent is negotiable, and the space is available starting next month.

So what would you like to see POP-UP here?

Fat Sal's has closed on Avenue A; new owners to open another pizzeria

That's it for Fat Sal's, the pizzeria at 201 Avenue A between East 12th Street and 13th Street. Paper is up in the windows.

The owner sold the shop, and the new proprietor will keep the space as a pizzeria.

Meanwhile, neighbors upstairs are curious what, if anything, might happen with the ventilation duct that workers installed before Sal's opened…



As we understand it, the previous owner tried to little avail to reduce the fan noise that residents say would rattle their windows.

Fat Sal's opened in May 2011, taking over the space from APizzA.

Reader-submitted photos

Spina's Italian fare exits Avenue B; Indian food on the way

Spina had a nice little run at 175 Avenue B at East 11th Street… However, after nearly six years, the pasta place/trattoria has closed for good. It hasn't been open for at least a week.

The space had quietly been on the market. (The listing tells potential suitors to "exercise discretion and do not engage in conversation about the space with anyone at the restaurant.")

Meanwhile, there's an applicant on this month's CB3/SLA committee agenda for a new beer-wine license for the space. The principals are a husband-and-wife team who plan on opening an Indian restaurant called Babu Ji. The proposed hours are 10 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday; until 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

The questionnaire (PDF!) on file at the CB3 website has more info as well as a sample menu.

[Updated] Mitali East has closed for good on 6th Street

That's it for the always-reliable Indian restaurant at 334 E. Sixth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue that opened in 1973.

The sign posted to the front door sends would-be patrons to Haveli, their sister restaurant around the corner on Second Avenue...



And this makes three Indian restaurants now in one at Haveli. Banjara moved here in late 2013.

You can read more about Mitali East closing in our previous posts here and here.

Updated 1:24 p.m.

Workers are now dismantling the space...


[Photo by Michael Hirsch]

Mercadito has officially closed on Avenue B

As noted last Thursday, the Marshal served eviction papers to Mercadito … and while we've seen these situations work out between the landlord and tenant a few times, that's not the case here. Mercadito has closed for good at 179 Avenue B between East 11th Street and East 12th Street.

While there isn't any mention of a closure on the Mexican restaurant's website or social media properties, the phone has been disconnected … and the Avenue B location has been removed from the company website...



Said one EVG commenter, "They closed because their lease was up and they were going to triple the rent. Hard to imagine another restaurant that would be profitable given how popular it was."

In any event, that appears to be it for Mercadito's NYC presence. Mercadito Grove in the West Village closed last fall. And Mercadito Cantina at 172 Avenue B closed in January 2011.

Previously on EV Grieve:
About Mercadito Cantina closing: 'Open letter to EV Grieve and CB3'

Proto's Pizza has closed on 2nd Avenue

We're sorry to see that the pizzeria here at 50 Second Ave. between East Second Street and East Third Street has closed. We liked the pizza served up by Brooklyn native Rob Proto.

Now for rent signs are hanging in the window. The space that belonged to Yoo's Convenience Store — home of New York's "best coffee" — remains vacant next door.

Proto's opened in May 2012.