By COLlive reporter
Biarritz Pizza and Wine Bar in Crown Heights will be under a new kosher certification starting Sunday, May 18, 2025, the restaurant announced.
“While we have proudly operated under the CHK (Vaad Hakashrus of Crown Heights), we have decided to transition to National Kosher Supervision (NKS), under the direction of Rabbi Aaron Mehlman, effective Sunday, May 18,” the statement read.
National Kosher Supervision, headquartered in New York City, is led by Rabbi Aaron Mehlman of Congregation Ohav Sholom on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Other establishments under NKS certification include the popular Malka Restaurant in both DUMBO and the Upper West Side, Miznon Kosher in Times Square, and several other eateries throughout the city. Rabbi Mehlman is also the Rabbi of the Spring Street minyan in Tannersville, NY.
A source at Biarritz explained that the decision stemmed from limitations in sourcing specialty ingredients under CHK’s standards. Although all ingredients were strictly Cholov Yisroel, certain products—such as Tnuva Goat Cheese, Cholov Yisroel Mozzarella, and a specific kosher truffle oil available in Crown Heights—did not meet CHK’s approval.
“We want to reassure our customers that all products will remain fully Cholov Yisroel and Pat Yisroel,” the restaurant stated. “Our commitment to the highest standards of kashrut remains unwavering, with Mashgichim Temidim (full-time kosher supervisors) on site.”
Biarritz Pizza and Wine Bar opened in February 2025 at the former location of Basil Restaurant. The eatery offers artisanal pizzas, fish dishes, coffee, beer, and wine in a casual, modern setting.
I cannot find the NKS listed as acceptable Hechsherim on the CRC website?
a other restaurant in ch that dont take chk i don’t know if the people is going to support this attitude to prove other kind of things
Even if they only lose 10% of crown heights business due to removing the local hechsher, is it really worth it???
dont know if i would trust him not from a quick google search. if hes not on the crc list ???
Since when is CY and PY not enough. Now the community lost business.
This Hashgocha is certainly not our standard as a community .
When a Rov does not believe in Cholov Yisroel, how can he be trusted for it ?
Be advised this new hecksher is not approved by CHK, CRC or any major agency. Some of the places they certify are open on shabbos and do not require a Mashgiach.
Will there be a mashgiach tmidi on premises?
The restaurant put out a statement saying there will still be a mashgiach on site
So why not get another reliable hechsher like the ok or the ou? Mehlman is not considered high standard at all
The OK does not operate in restaurants in Crown Heights.
The OU only comes in if there is consent from chk.
Currently there is no consent.
Interesting. Izzys is under the ok
The restaurant wanted to go with the OU but the CHK didn’t allow.Rabbi Mehlman is a musmach from Brisk and BMG well known and respected
All Crown Heights restaurants should leave the CHK. The CHK operates in a predatory manner and appears to be enforcing a monopoly in the neighborhood.
They get credit with raising the bar
What does this mean? They are the neighborhoods rabbanim, obviously they have a “monopoly” in the neighborhood!
Your welcome to get the ok if u like or Rabbi Gorelick. There is zero monooly
Is NKS in the standard recommended HashGacha list?
Would be nice to understand the reasoning/details if possible.
If all other restaurants in ch can do it why can’t you?
People don’t know what it means to respect a community standard. I’m sure the new karshrus is great, but what standard does that set moving forward for the community?
Hashgacha not on cRC list
What is really going on behind the scenes with chk suddenly not being used by some lubavitch restaurants and meat suppliers?
Is tnuva goat cheese not approved by the chk ? What is wrong with it that it can’t be used in the restaurant?
Cheese is a complex area. Tenuva has different Hashgachos for different products. If u look there is a limited amount with acceptable Israeli Hechsherim to Chassidishe Yidden. Not every tenuva product is a mehadrin product. If the chk blocked it there is prob a great reason for it. As Chassidim we don’t eat any product with a national Hechsher. We ensure it meets our standards. In regards to truffle oil it’s also complex. Not a simple matter. The best would be to not have these non mehadrin products and reinstate the chk. FYI I don’t work fir Chk nor was… Read more »
Should have gotten the lamed kay kosher certification. Lamed Kay is much better than chk
Did you know that you can now order chk certified meat online from crown heights butcher and it can be shipped to anywhere in the United States?
Please post link
Since when do they set the bar for what is considered acceptable hashgacha.
Crc also created standards beyond what it says in Halacha. They did it not from a kosher standard but through the prism that by doing it, it makes them look more reliable
Malka is a very popular kosher restaurant. Even if you havent personally eaten there many thousands have and to say the hechsher is questionable clearly is from a very narrow mindset.