Four restaurants have been closed since Tuesday because of a problem with a gas line to a building on Amsterdam Avenue between 79th and 80th Street.
Italian cafe Pretto, Indian restaurants Saravana Bhavan and Swagat, and pizzeria T&R Pizza are all closed, and apparently gas has been shut off to the entire building (if you live there, let us know).
An employee at Pretto told us she hopes it’s back up and running by early next week. Sadly, gas issues can sometimes take a long time to be resolved.
Thanks to Spence for the tip and photo.
If con Ed shut down gas service to the entire building due to a potential leak, it will be months before service is restored
I live in one of the buildings next to this and smelled gas outside on Thursday. Hopefully they figure it out soon.
BLAME de Blasio!!!
(I’m first, I win)
Swagat is my favorite Indian restaurant in the UWS. Hope they are back in business soon.
I would blame the burrito shop for the gas problem.
Winner of the fart joke contest.
Sadly Bob is correct. We had a minuscule leak that likely never would have caused any issues. The whole building was down for three months because they have to test all of the lines for all apts and if anything is awry it needs to be fixed.
It’s a hassle indeed, but after the building explosion in Harlem, better to be safe than sorry. Will miss Swagat.
Last spring, I called 911 because I smelled gas in front of that building every time I walked by. First they had no idea what to do and connected me to the fire department. The fd was like, I guess we can check it out and they said they would, but who knows. So here we are a year later. It really is a miracle that this city isn’t just a giant sink hole. I hope they get their gas back on asap.
Same thing happened to the building I live in. Gas was shut off for 9 months.
I live in a building where a tiny leak was found and many many apartments in the building were without gas for close to a year. The building had to go apartment to apartment to test the gas line.
Buy an electric burner, it could be a long wait.
Our building lost gas for almost a year. Was it inconvenient? Yes, but preferable to an explosion.
Sadly, many people in the building harrassed the individual who called in the leak as if it was her who did something wrong. This was before the big gas explosion a few years ago.
Wonder if they would have been thanking the neighbor for saving our lives.
The biggest problem is the lag time between inspections and making needed repairs. Our entire building’s gas lines had to be taken out and reinstalled (9 months of daily clanging) but it took almost three months to secure the final OK from inspections. As long as we’re safe. FYI: I never reinstalled the gas because I had an old stove with a problem that Con Ed says was the super’s problem and the super said it was Con Ed’s. After a year without gas, I just stayed with various electric appliances. Saved money to boot! Con Ed had been ripping me off for monthly gas fees due to the problem that no one would fix so I was like: Hey, did without it, can continue to do so.
Four great restaurants! I love these spots. Hope Con Ed fixes this swiftly.
After two major gas explosions (Harlem and East Village), heaven help if Con Ed is summoned because of any issue such as a leak or suspected tampering.
Look how long Carnegie Deli was without gas service when *issues* were discovered. In the end the owner has made out in spades, but tenants above went without gas and heat for a *very* long time.
How did the owner of the Carnegie Deli make out “in spades” (really a term that should go out of use) if the restaurant has closed?
Not the deli, but owner:
https://nypost.com/2017/01/30/extell-closes-in-on-buying-famed-carnegie-delis-former-home/
https://therealdeal.com/2017/01/31/extell-scoops-up-home-of-carnegie-deli/
A problem with a gas line is not neccesarily a gas leak. The fact that Con Edison is working on resolving this issue on the OUTSIDE of this building might be promising to the tenants. A leak inside a building is handled differently than a leak on the exterior. T&R Pizza must have taken a hit with orders lost on Super Bowl Sunday.
THERE IS ALSO A GAS ISSUE ON 75 OR 76 STREET BETWEEN BROADWAY AND AMSTERDAM. SMELLS ALL THE TIME. .
The laundry in the basement of Chesterfield Cleaners, next to Swagat, is also closed due to the gas leak.
I am always amazed at the winey comments of some people. Would you rather have the building explode like it did in the Village a couple of years ago. What is wrong with you. Stop blaming De Blasio as well. People are doing their jobs and trying to keep New Yorkers safe. Focus your disgust at Trump instead.
Is it true that many restaurants in N.Y.C. hire Mexicans who are illegal aliens ? How many Bangladeshis, Syrian Muslims work in those eateries ? Is it true that many Indian restaurants in N.Y.C. hire cooks who worked in ships ? I’ve a few stories re Con Edison. Social work hasn’t helped me with current Stove. I miss : Luchow’s, Ma Bell, Schraftt’s, Chock full o’ Nuts, Mama Leone’s; Babka’s; a German bakery in East Harlem & in Elmshurst….Stop cuts to Food Stamps for citizens. Too much immigration into U.S.A. after 1956. n.b. upcoming funeral Mass for the former head of RAO’s. Save family farms. “The rent is too d-mn high”. I’m in difficult situations; &, no longer own pets, houseplants. I remember when one heard English language oft in much of Manhattan, N.Y,.C.; NOT Spanish, Kreyol, Bambara, Polish, Arabic, Chinese languages. Too much cussin’ in Central Harlem.
With so many restaurants financially squeezed already due to rising rents, how are these 4 going to be affected by being put out of business for a week (so far), possibly more? Anything we can do to help? (I’m especially fond of Swagat.)
We are desolate at losing Swagat, even for a week. I deeply hope that this does not end up forcing them out of business. I have heard horror stories of the length of time gas stoppages can last around the corner on this very block. I am desperate for a chicken manglorian fix! And we miss seeing Sashi, the wonderful headwaiter.