By COLlive reporter
The Covid-19 outbreak continues to take its toll on small businesses and especially restaurants who have been trying to keep their kitchen running and serving take-out while still covering bills.
TwiBar Falafel in Crown Heights, a kosher eatery which served falafel and Mediterranean cuisine, made a valiant effort to re-open after being closed for months while thee pandemic raged in New York.
Owners of the eatery at 140 Empire Blvd have now announced that they decided it’s time to close and sell the store, reported Elan Kornblum of Great Kosher Restaurants.
He said the establishment is 1700 square feet, with free parking spaces in front. Rent is $4500 a month for a 10-year lease including all new equipment. Asking price is $60,000.
But they aren’t the only ones in Brooklyn who are shutting down for good.
Bay Cafe, a restaurant in the Manhattan Beach – Sheepshead Bay area which transitioned to become kosher this past year, is closing. Kornblum said it was due to a number of factors, many of them forced by coronavirus. The owner Larisa Aronov will be moving to Canada to be with her other half Billy who has been stuck there for the past few months.
Upside Craft Burger announced that their location on 18th Ave has officially closed. What will be remaining open is their “Upside Now” Express location at 4621 13th Ave, serving their regular menu for takeout and delivery. For more, visit upsidecraft.com
One more establishment closing is the Pescada Steakhouse at 509 Avenue P (Between East 5th and Ocean Parkway). During the pandemic, they have been offering 25% discounts to first responders, Hatzalah, Chaveirim, Shomrim and medical personnel. Kornblum reports that the location will be converted from fleishings to milchigs: a pizza shop will be opening soon.
Meanwhile, in Manhattan, Grill 212, which has been serving a variety of authentic Yemenite and Middle Eastern cuisines for the last 8 years in the Upper West Side, is closing. The reason given for the closure is Covid-19 as well.
A second kosher eatery in the Upper West Side is closing, but not because of the pandemic. Alibaba, which served shawarma, couscous and other Middle Eastern dishes, has recently lost the lease of their snug space.
“The past few months have been very difficult on many restaurants and sad news such as this provides us with reminders to support the places we love in these difficult times,” Kornblum said.
Has this great pizza place closed too?
What’s so hard to get? It’s time and it will only get harder with Time. Do it.
sad to hear your closing. You had the best falafel…!!
Wish you success!!!
I love twibar!!!! They’re the only falafel that doesn’t give me pimples.
I love stopping there on the way to prospect park
Seems to be closed too
Probably cause of the 9 days
Abigail’s is done, too.
Unfortunately, in the near future we will be hearing about quite a few more.
The rioters & corona ruined the restaurant business in midtown Manhattan.
Correct, All Manhattan Kosher High End Eatery’s & Steakhouses should permanently move to Crown Heights, Between the effect of Corona, The Citys overreach on regulating anything that is successful and the brutal 2 nights of violent Riots on May 31/June 1 in Manhattan, Unfortuntly Manhattan is no more the fancy shmancy high end place that it used to be, very sadly its a Island full of Boarded up Storefronts with No Windows after being smashed (And many with No merchandise left after being looted) by the 2020 Riots, As well as the Streets of Manhattan are no longer safe with… Read more »
Mendy’s did just that. The city rents got to them. They now do everything from Mendy’s @ the JCM.
That’s1 more place that left the city.
This is precisely why our frum media outlets should be on the forefront advocating for reopening NY . The majority of stories published centered around the medical aspect, which there are conflicting expert opinions on. I don’t think enough attention was given to the hardships people endured along with measures taken to help mitigate the damage. There are many fundraising campaigns on these same sites, some of which the publishers get compensation for promoting which is all fine and good bu tits HIGH time there be consideration that people depend on having AN income TO BE ABLE TO do so!
Crown Heights is the New Kosher Restaurant Hub, We have the finest Restaurants that opened in the last few years, Yidden from every community in Brooklyn, NYC, NJ & Long Island/Five Towns come Every Day to Crown Heights just for its elegant restaurants, Its the spot the everyone comes to and where new kosher restaurants are always welcome.
Will Miss AliBaba. Rav Harizi is a special and holy man who served his customers with wisdom and advice.
Benny pizza also in ch