RESTAURANT NEWS AND NOTES: BEACON BAR, KEFI, BIRCH COFFEE, CHINA FUN, RIVERSIDE LIQUOR
A new bar named the Beacon Bar is opening in between the Hotel Beacon and the Beacon Theater on Broadway between 74th and 75th streets. An employee at the hotel said it will have an entrance from the hotel and should open next month. Thanks to Gavan for the tip and photo.
The Riverside Liquor Store at 2746 Broadway (between 105th and 106th) is moving a block south next to McDonald’s and holding a moving sale, with 10% off spirits and 20% off wine.
Kefi will be closed for longer than we originally thought. The popular Greek spot at 505 Columbus Avenue was forced to close because of a water main break that messed up the building’s gas lines, also knocking out gas to neighboring restaurant Casa Pomona. The food website Eater noticed an update today on the restaurant’s fsacebok page, which now appears to have been taken down. It read: “Kefi will be closed for reconstruction and renovations for the next couple of months due to damage from a burst pipe. We are working very hard to re-open so please stay tuned to our social media channels for updates.”
China Fun, the restaurant on Columbus between 71st and 72nd street that closed a few weeks ago after a fire, will be closed for two to three more weeks. The kitchen needs to be repaired and there are insurance issues to deal with. In the meantime, the restaurant is making deliveries to Upper West Siders from its East side location. That’s real dedication to your customers. You’ll have to be willing to wait about 45 minutes, though. Thanks to Nancy for the tip and photo.
The Birch Coffee that was set to open on Columbus Avenue between 96th and 97th streets still isn’t open! Why oh why? It’s not entirely clear, but the coffee shop has taped a somewhat cryptic note to its door: “Issues have come up that are completely out of our control.” (That’s actually the title of my memoir.) Read the whole note below. The spot will be much more than a coffee shop. It’s also expected to serve microbrews, and lots of organic food, DNAinfo reported. And it will have a lending library, with books you can read at a table or even take home. “The neighborhood [surrounding the new store] has nothing,” said co-owner Jeremy Lyman on their decision to open a new branch uptown. “It’s crying for something like that.” And, as we reported earlier, they’ll be rolling out their 64-ounce iced coffees delivered fresh to your house by bike this summer.
pretty sure china restaurant is between 71 and 72?no?
Good catch! Fixing it now.
Looking forward to Birch. The next nearest coffee spot is Starbucks at 100th, rather cramped. Whole Foods has good coffee but a drab, institutional-style area for drinking it. Hope Birch will have wifi.