On Thursday, two new businesses are planning to open on the Upper West Side with the word “Sugar” in their title. It’Sugar and Sugar & Plumm Purveyors of Yumm are both slated to open their doors.
But there are also restaurants and cafes opening that do not have the word Sugar in their title. Thank goodness.
1. Birch, a cafe known for hand-delivering jugs of iced coffee to your apartment, is ready to take over the corner space at 96th Street and Columbus Avenue formerly occupied by H&R Block. The owners hope to open around Halloween, says the company’s pr firm. They already have a store at 5 West 27th Street. The new one, we hear, will be even “classier.” At the bottom of this post we’ve included a Birch-produced video of an iced-coffee delivery. Thanks to Daren and Thomas (who took the above photo).
2. Lura Restaurant & Lounge, a Mediterranean spot open until 2 a.m. on most nights, opened at 949 Columbus Avenue off of 106th Street a couple of months ago (missed it!). Check out the menu here. A video about the owners of Lura is below the Birch video. Thanks to Peter for the tip.
3. Gotham Burger, a Kosher restaurant out of Teaneck, New Jersey that serves non-dairy shakes, plans to open a new restaurant at an undisclosed Upper West Side location in September after the high holidays, according to Koshertopia.
4. A “yogurt store” is set to open at 2056 Broadway just South of 71st Street, which used to house Bacchus wines (the other half of Bacchus is now Chocobolo), according to a building permit. No word yet on which yogurt company, or when exactly it will open. I think it’s fair to say the yogurt in question will be frozen.
5. Sugar & Plumm Purveyors of Yumm at the corner of 78th Street and Amsterdam Avenue has a torturous backstory, involving small shops forced out of their spaces, a “tacky” initial design, an anti-obesity vandal, and more. Readers of the Rag are undoubtedly sick of hearing about it. Well, tomorrow, the restaurant is set to open, and all of our greatest hopes/worst fears will either be realized, or more likely be forgotten entirely. According to a press release received by Gothamist, it will have savory items like burgers and pulled pork. And, of course, “floats, sundaes, sorbets, waffles, crepes, and a signature milkshake menu featuring homemade ice cream creations such as The Waffle & Bacon Shake (Vanilla Ice Cream, Vermont Maple Syrup, Candied Bacon, Mini Waffle) and The Birthday Cake Shake (vanilla ice cream, yellow cake, and vanilla icing.)”
6. It’Sugar opens at 10 a.m. on Thursday, according to a sign taped to its door on Broadway between 61st and 62nd. There is no easy way to describe this place; maybe imagine Hello Kitty and Willy Wonka had a teenage child who got hooked on mind-altering drugs. They sell candy, novelties, accessories, and “bacon bandages.” Read our previous story on it to learn more.
Trivial Pursuit.
YAAAWWWWNNNNN!!!!!!!!!