This month saw more upscale shops with French names coming to the Bleecker Street area. On 8th Street, an opening and closing cancel each other out. Asian restaurants in the neighborhood are on the upswing, and the beloved Gansevoort Market has returned. Photos by Maggie Berkvist.
Recently Opened
Il Conte, 310 West 14th Street: Replacing the short-lived Panette, this Italian pasta spot is a transplant from the old Gansevoort Market. They have perfected a technique of partially cooking pasta and packing it in individual portions, so that the pasta only needs to be cooked for 2 minutes before serving.
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Gansevoort Market, 353 West 14th Street: Gansevoort Market on Gansevoort Street closed back in February and the space will house Pastis 2.0. But as promised, many of the vendors are back at this new location. Some of the returning stands are: Luzzo’s, Bankok Bar, Crêpe Sucre, M’o Il Gelato, Dana’s Bakery, Mission Ceviche and tease tea. Some newcomers are: Grinder (salads, rice bowls and wraps), Oppa (Korean food), French Block (coffee and pastries) and The Doughnut Project selling smaller versions of their unusual-flavored donuts. Not all the stalls are open or occupied yet, so stay tuned for updates.
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MI-NE Sushi Totoya, 496 6th Avenue: This restaurant is still in soft open mode with not all items available. In addition to sushi, there are cooked dishes as well as reasonably priced Omakase. A sign in the window explains: “Japanese Style – no tip required.
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Hao Noodle and Tea by Madam Zhu’s Kitchen, 401 6th Avenue: This restaurant bills itself as serving authentic Chinese food. The menu is organized by seasons, and the lovely plant-filled space is more attractive than comfortable.
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Idlewild, 170 7th Avenue South: This travel bookstore, which also offers foreign language classes, moved here from its previous Flatiron location on 19th Street, where it had been for 8 years.
Coming Soon
Le Labo, West 4th Street: This perfume company specializing in earthy floral scents, was acquired by Estee Lauder, and is opening their fourth New York store at this location in the fall.
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L’Objet, 370 Bleecker Street: Bleecker Street is becoming a mecca for luxury home goods – the latest addition will be L’Objet, which may sound French, but whose only other store is in Southampton.
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Ancolie: the epicurean cantine, 58 West 8th Street: Chloe Vichot plans to serve French-inspired food in custom reusable glass jars, thereby reducing the waste associated with take-out. A recently ended Kickstarter campaign raised the money to manufacture the jars in 3 hours.
Recently Closed
Café Nadery, 16 West 8th Street: Named after a restaurant in Iran, this popular café was owned by a collective of Iranian-Americans and had poetry readings and live music in the evenings.
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The Place, 310 West 4th Street: This restaurant, which had been popular with locals and for dates during its 18-year run, closed in June. The Times described it as “one of those unpretentious neighborhood refuges, tucked away on a quiet little street.”
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