Some longtime Upper West Side restaurants are closing, but new spots are on their way.
Barcibo Enoteca, a wine bar and restaurant at 2020 Broadway between 69th and 70th, is apparently closing Friday night. It had been around 10 years. Amazing memories!!!” they wrote on Facebook. “Never to be forgotten!! But stay tuned!! We coming back!!” J.R. called it “a great neighborhood spot! Marc the owner is as friendly as they come.” The listing for the spot is here, though not the asking rent. Thanks to Sue also for the tip.
Trattoria Il Gusto is opening in place of longtime restaurant Pesce Pasta at Columbus Avenue and 90th Street, according to signs in the window. Apparently, a sidewalk extension is already under construction. Thanks to Marsha for the tip.
Health food restaurant Sweetgreen appears to be scoping out a space on 91st and Broadway that used to be a Verizon store but has been empty for years, according to Whitney. Those binders have the words “Sweetgreen” and 91st and Broadway on the front. The company didn’t immediately respond to a query.
Construction is in full swing on the former home of Tolani at 410 Amsterdam Avenue (79th-80th Street), which is expected to become celebrated Korean fried chicken joint Boka. They recently poured the concrete for the floor, according to the company’s Instagram. It will clearly miss its original March opening expectation, but hopefully will be opening soon. Read more about Boka here. Thanks to Jackie for the tip.
Smoothie and juice spot Greenforce on Broadway between 81st and 82nd has closed. “It was a great spot and will be missed,” wrote Brad. Its Grubhub page is down and no one is picking up the phone. Thanks to Jackie also for the tip.
A well-regarded Halal cart called The Casbah has opened a second location on the West side of Broadway between 72nd and 73rd, according to Jeff. (The first one is near 66th and Broadway in front of Century 21.)
Nice to have The Casbah food truck closer to home! Use to go to the original location on 66th and Broadway. The food is fresh, delicious and budget friendly. Plus,if you are a regular, the gents in the truck remember your orders. Try the grilled chicken with red hot sauce over rice with a salad for lunch or dinner!
The guy at Boka told me they will not be open here until the summer.
About this: “Trattoria Il Gusto is opening in place of longtime restaurant Pesce Pasta at Columbus Avenue and 90th Street…” Is Pesce Pasta closing or just moving to another location? Does anyone know?
Pesce is gone. The new owners actually took over several months ago and made some changes to the menu etc. Hope they finish to cosmetic upgrade soon!
Just a brief comment re closing of 2 good DR drugstores…both had identities and were demographically responsive. W72nd had good pharmacist and nice selection of housewares; the DR on Bway and 76th also had an excellent pharmacy and really good cosmetics.Now for some reason, Walgreens has left us with nothing much. The DR on 72nd &Bway is overcrowded and always understocked..but the pharmacy is good.The other DR on bway&70th is completely useless. They have the strangest assortment of merchandise…we guess someone from Walgreen corporate in Deerfield Illinois did not do their homework. In addition, and this is the saddest…the spacious DR W72nd st.vacant store is becoming a “day care center”. Why? Not a food market or something we all need and want….for example if not food, why not some place of interest? A general goods store (think the wonderful Price Wise), or something of interest to the many Lincoln Center devotees living on West End Avenue.A bookstore, a tech shop, an independent entrepreneur, a home goods store etc etc. The last thing West End Avenue wants or needs is a daycare center. Our property values fall as our boredom rises. We watch other neighborhoods become more desirable as we become more of a cliched punchline. And that’s just the truth.
Speak for yourself – plenty of people on the UWS want or need a day care center. Just because you don’t have any use for it doesn’t make it useless for everybody else.
Daycare is needed too (and, no, I am not of childbearing age).
Because Yuppies despise Mom n’ Pops
Instead of lamenting a chain store (even if it was founded in NY), why don’t you go to Josephs Pharmacy on 72nd?
I would love a tech store that’s an alternative to Apple. How many hours/days can a person devote to making appts and waiting on line there? Wasn’t there a tech store on Columbus around 86th at some point? By the time I made a note of it it disappeared.
There is an electronics repair store – I believe it is called Shine Electronics, on 84th near Columbus. We had a good experience there having a PC repaired.
Thank you Erica! I really appreciate it. 🙂
Is this for real?
Why have a daycare center?
Why close a drug store?
Why not open a food store in the 70s and compete with Trader Joes, Fairway, Fresh Direct, and the rest?
Why not have a tech store? I never visited the old one, but now I’d like to go once because the line at the Apple store is too long?
If you have such good ideas, start your own business! These people who tried and failed were clearly incompetent. I’m sure you’d do a much better job.
“Why not have a tech store? I never visited the old one, but now I’d like to go once because the line at the Apple store is too long?”
I’m fairly new to the UWS, that’s why I didn’t visit the old one. Lucky for me there are people here who share helpful information instead of wasting time with sarcasm.
There were three excellent pharmacists who used to work at the DR on W. 72nd that is now closed: Ted, Raymond, and Mr. Patel.
I’ve been told that Ted works some days at the big DR at Broadway and W.72nd.
Love Sweetgreen. Great chain. Will be a good addition to the area
Barcibo Enoteca is a quality bar/restaurant that’s really very friendly. Great martinis and bruschetta. Bummer to see them close.
Gotta be especially hard if you live in the upper 60s on Broadway or Amsterdam — there are only a few other good dining options in the immediate vicinity.
agreed! very sad to see Barcibo close. Marc is always so delightful and i wish him well. He and his staff were always so welcoming and the food is very good and reasonably priced. please keep us posted when they resurface.
We love The Casbah! Very excited to have another one closer to home.
Barcibo was an integral factor in my buyinh an apartment across the street 8 yrs ago. Marc is a great guy and it typified, for me, the “UWS local hangout.” Sad news, indeed. I wish I could go in for one last glass (or three) of Gavi!
You do realize day care centers are highly desirable right? It actually greatly increases the livability of this neighborhood for people with children! The area around 72nd has an incredible collection of grocery stores- other neighborhoods would be lucky to have the variety we do. Just because you wouldn’t use the daycare doesn’t mean it is not immensely useful for many many other people in the neighborhood.
The majority of people on the UWS since Time Warner was built and Riverside Blvd was created have nannies which is why there has been fewer day care centers. NYC doesn’t have the infrastructure to accommodate so many kids, which is why parents are having such difficulty getting their kids into coveted public schools and private schools and some are resorting to living in rental one bedrooms with two kids in the right school zone (this shocked me as well when friends 68-74th St mentioned this to me.). It takes $$$ to have the correct size for a family with growing kids and a family of 3+. I live next to a family of 5 who live in a 1400 sq ft apt! It’s not just the day care that is the issue. When I was born, my parents moved from the city to the suburbs to raise us kids. Just get the nanny. It will simplify your life before you try to get your child into a Kindergarten in a few years and forget about high school.
I knew a family who lived in a 2 bedroom rental on the UWS, with 3 girls in one bedroom, so they could afford to go to a top private girls school on the UES. They didn’t have trips overseas and parties etc. but as the girls got older they discovered that they weren’t the only ones living that way. Personally I like the idea of moving to the suburbs to raise kids, but they’re all Ivy League graduates now so I suppose you do what you have to do.
You must not realize what housing costs in the suburbs.
I was born on the UWS then my parents fled to the suburbs. Price wise you get a larger home for what you would pay for a one bedroom even in great school districts. Parents are different now and many don’t want to sacrifice the city life for the suburban. Different generations different population of NYC. I’m just sad that the newer people to the neighborhood have taken away from the neighborhood feeling that I used to appreciate. We used to be different and live on top of each other but we’re still pleasant and neighborly. The restaurants, bars, stores cannot afford to stay. And UWS feels like UES circa 1990s. Sad.
In case you didn’t get the memo plenty of New Yorkers are still fleeing to the suburbs. So much so that bidding wars are breaking out for properties in Westchester, Long Island and New Jersey.
There is especially a steady exodus from Brooklyn to certain areas of New Jersey (Maplewood, West Orange, etc…)
For what developers want for a cheesy new construction two bedroom condo in Manhattan or “down town” Brooklyn, and certain parts of Queens you can purchase a home in the suburbs. Besides owning property including some land you get to send your kids to a local excellent public school and have other amenities.
https://www.whattoexpect.com/forums/new-york-city/topic/moving-to-suburbs.html
You may be able to find something (townhouse) in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Bushwick, Crown Heights and other more eastern parts of Brooklyn, but the amenities including safe/clean parks, excellent public or even private schools and other things certain families want just aren’t there yet, and may not be for a decade or more.
Problem as it relates to public schools on the UWS and elsewhere in Manhattan can be directly traced back to the effects of white flight. By the 1970’s and into the 1980’s NYC was closing down/selling off public school properties due to lack of enrollment.
Now of course the city is stuck playing catch-up. Building new public schools is expensive enough, but as with everything else in NYC it is more so especially in land tight Manhattan.
Hi white gen warrior: well a daycare center can go anywhere…in an apartment bldg. Etc. To take a valuable store front space like that is just a waste of property and usefulness. Perhaps you haven’t been in this neighborhood long enough to know how badly Fairway has deteriorated since going public and prior to Lowe’s opening we had signed petitions to get a supermarket in that spot (think Morton Williams). So aside from the food issue, yes a tech store would be so useful and kudos to Cat for mentioning the endless waits in Apple for help. Statistics have shown how limited use businesses can cut our desirability as a neighborhood; consider that we all have devices that break constantly; we all need a supermarket, we all would really love an all purpose Price Wise. On the other hand-we all don’t have children that need to be watched. That’s just the way it is.
“well a daycare center can go anywhere”
You’re kidding right?
Facilities for day care are some of the most regulated facilities in NYC regarding fire and safety – you can’t just put them anywhere.
First off, day care centers can only go into commercial space on the first or second floor of a building. If you haven’t noticed – people generally live there and even if you could persuade the tenants to move, getting the certificate of occupancy changed from residential to day care would be a nightmare.
We have Trader Joe’s, Fairway, Westside Market, Pioneer and Zabars within easy walking distance, there is even a small grocer and a prepared food take out shop at the corner of WEA and 72 St, less than 200 feet from this location. Sorry if you feel you lack food choices because you don’t have a Morton Williams.
Not sure what people mean by tech stores. With the rents in this neighborhood it is very difficult to make money explaining to people how to operate their phones and tablets. Even Tekserve down on 23rd St with a huge and loyal following couldn’t make it. Do you want MicroCenter to move in? Well they need 3x or 4x the space minimum and most people in this neighborhood will just look around and then buy from Amazon to save a couple of bucks.
My kids are grown but a child care facility is a positive enhancement to the neighborhood which should actually enhance property values and bring in younger home buyers. It would have been a nice option for us 15-20 years ago.
No you’re definitely not our neighbor.
Thankfully, our Board has a particular dislike for your kind of rudeness. And Yes a Morton Williams would be great or any other non-proprietary market. We have no idea about Pioneer. Not walking distance from us. You should leave the neighborhood and see how well other crosstown streets are doing and amazing as it may seem to you….86th,14th,8th etc…..all eclectic and interesting. Great for walking, browsing, shopping,eating and generally enjoying the city. FYI, all younger apartment buyers do NOT necessarily have children ..that’s the point here…we want younger buyers who want to live in a diverse satisfying environment who will help innovate and NOT perpetuate the unfortunate reputation the UWS has. Be careful what you wish for.
“We want younger buyers..”, “younger buyers who do not necessarily have children..”
What is up with this comment? Are you for real? You are saying that children should not be in the neighborhood of your dreams that is made specifically for younger buyers? What about older people? Do they fit in look and feel of the neighborhood or it should be composed only out of militant ignorants like yourselves?
And to respond to other comments re necessity of daycares – most people send their children there for enrichment and nannies take over after hours since the parents are still at work. There’s severe lack of daycares in the area and the waiting lists are long. Some of them are located in basements without natural light. That’s what poor planning regarding schools and daycares reduced our children to. However, the high-rises are growing like mushrooms without number of schools increasing.
To those who think people with children should relocate to the suburbs, why don’t you go there yourselves instead of telling people where to live if they have children and create your childless “cool” little town so the kids don’t cramp your style
Next thing you know they will be asking for a copy shop.
I know a town (600 people) that has a copy shop/tech repair/bait & tackle and gas station all rolled into one. There was a restaurant/hotel but it burned down, and the only other business is a pizza shop. They don’t have to stand in line at Apple (because there isn’t one). I think we should have the same options. 😉
There is just not enough commercial space available on the UWS. Daycare does not have to be on street level. There are large business dead zones which in the past had stores but were displaced by urban renewal projects. Our zoning is outdated, it restricts commercial space to the lower floors of most properties. Crowded stores and high prices are a symptom that there not enough businesses or competition. There is great resistance and anger towards change that might correct some of the problems that our densely populated UWS is experiencing.
Just out of curiosity, how many children will this day care accommodate? I’ve only had experience with day care on the UES and I’m actually surprised that I haven’t seen more on the UWS (or just haven’t noticed).
It’s hard to imagine the words “good” and “DR” in the same sentence. For those in the low 70’s and 60’s, Bed, Bath and Beyond at Broadway and 65th has an amazing drugstore section under the Harmon brand. The prices are 1/3 to 1/2 less than DR or Rite Aid.
i have a problem with BB&B: that nauseating fragrance in the air. what’s with that??
You’re simply getting a potpourri headache.
So sad about Barcibo. Owner and staff were so friendly. Drinks and food were excellent–the crostini, the charcuterie, the margaritas, and wine! It is definitely a loss for our neighborhood.
Yes – so so sad about Barcibo. Does anyone know what happened? The place was always packed!
Does the owner of Barcibo plan to open elsewhere?
The rents are too high. Even the most successful place will struggle because of the greedy rents.
“Not sure what people mean by tech stores. With the rents in this neighborhood it is very difficult to make money explaining to people how to operate their phones and tablets.”
I highly doubt that anyone who owns an Apple product is waiting for hours for someone to explain to them how to operate their devices. We need a tech store to *repair* computers without going through the craziness at Apple. You need to make appts days in advance and still wait up to an hour for an available tech once you arrive, and if you’re a walk-in they suggest that you go to the store on 5th Avenue for faster service.
Not sure what any of this has to do with Amazon.
How many people in this neighborhood are really dropping off their kids at day care as opposed to having a nanny?
“How many people in this neighborhood are really dropping off their kids at day care as opposed to having a nanny?”
Simple: enough to keep the daycares in business. If too few people are “dropping off their kids”, then the daycares will close. On the other hand, if new daycares are opening, that suggests that the proprietors have assessed the market better than you or I can and have decided that there is sufficient market to support their business. If there isn’t — they will close.
Business decisions don’t get made in order to accommodate your personal vision of what your own personal neighborhood should look like.
Fortunately for those people who don’t share your precise world view or lifestyle.
“Business decisions don’t get made in order to accommodate your personal vision of what your own personal neighborhood should look like.
Fortunately for those people who don’t share your precise world view or lifestyle.”
You can’t be serious. I asked a legitimate question and this is what you got from it? My world view and lifestyle, lol? Take a look around the neighborhood at the people who are pushing the strollers, waiting for buses, and picking up kids from school. Nannies, nannies, and more nannies.
Then you know everything, just observing lots of nannies. Why don’t you talk to people who have children instead of providing your very ignorant opinion based on observation of a sliver of life of families with children? The statistics might surprise you. There are waiting lists in most daycares. And they are housed in ungodly conditions like basements and such because of strict regulations and liability despite costing more than city college. Please wake up and broaden your horizons. UWS is not just about partying singles with newly minted income.
I have no idea why you’ve both decided who and what I am based on one post where I stated that I’d like a tech store in the neighborhood. Not single, not young, not newly minted, and have worked with nannies and children my entire adult life. It’s not an opinion that nannies are out there doing all of the work, it’s a fact. Btw, just in case you missed it, you’re getting the day care.
Then you know everything, just observing lots of nannies. Why don’t you talk to people who have children instead of providing your very ignorant opinion based on observation of a sliver of life of families with children? The statistics might surprise you. There are waiting lists in most daycares. And they are houses in ungodly conditions like basements and such because of strict regulations and liability despite costing lmkre than city college. Please wake up and broaden your horizons. UWS is not just about partying singles with newly minted income.
The closest to a tech store model other than Apple are BestBuy or Staples. Their primary function is sales of disposable tech. There are no local factory service centers in the NYC area. If you need something fixed you usually have to send it out of state, big stores included. Much of the proprietary hand held tech is hard to fix due to non standardized designs and miniaturized components. The tech we have is cheap and has a short lifespan. Fixing a HDTV with a cracked screen is an example where the cost of repair is as much as the replacement cost of the item. Fixing it yourself in the home is not an option either. The time of Radio Shacks where you could buy parts in your neighborhood is gone. Sears sells replacement parts online but who knows how long they will last. There are some exceptions but big corporate stores are the only type of tech stores we will see on the UWS.
Thanks for the info and the reminder about Best Buy! I had no idea that Staples had a tech dept. I’m still buying office and art supplies at Stationary and Toy World on 72nd. Now there’s a a great mom & pop business that appears to be thriving.
Andanada nyc on W. 69th St. is closed