We have news on three eagerly anticipated Upper West Side openings.
The new Levain Bakery. Photo by Stuart.
Levain Bakery opens its new store at 351 Amsterdam Avenue (between 76th and 77th) on Wednesday, and promises more space, longer hours and more seating (of course, it would be hard to get much smaller than the one on 74th and Amsterdam). Will the lines be out the door on opening day? Let us know if you stop by.
An H-Mart in New Jersey.
Construction has been slow at H-Mart, the Korean grocery store opening at 110th Street and Broadway in the former home of D’Agostino, several readers have told us. But Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell tells us that it’s planning to open later this summer or in early fall. So start looking for more progress in a couple months. The chain’s website is here.
Sugar Factory on 67th and Broadway is opening an artisanal doughnut and coffee bar, which is now set to open on Friday, July 14. “Chef Santiago will unveil the sweet menu featuring highlights like the Charcoal + Maple + Bacon + Bourbon Donut, Boston Cream Donut, the award winning Original Cannoli donut. The prices per donut range from $2.50 to $4.75.”
I love donuts but I just cannot stand sugar factory. hope it crashes and burns fast. so boycott that spot with me, please.
I agree with you on this one Bob.
Let’s boycott the place.
Try to be a nice person. Just avoid the place if you don’t like it. Burning is a bit drastic, don’t you think?
Bob – I’m no fan either, but why would you wish them any ill will? They provide jobs and occupy an otherwise ugly vacant space that took forever to rent. I don’t plan on ever going but I don’t hope they crash and burn. Seems like you’ve got an ax to grind. If so, do tell!
I’m with Bob on this.
I just passed the Sugar Factory on the way to the Apple store, and it looks like it did when it was a public space with all of the tables, maybe a bit more color but nothing more. Is there something amazing hidden behind the wall (more than one floor)? Didn’t have the time to stop in but now I’m curious.
The public space is still a public space. Sugar Factory occupies the same space that Ollie’s did, behind the public atrium and with an upstairs and maybe downstairs.
Oops, sorry I meant James! (3 guys named Jim in my family and wasn’t thinking). 😮
Thanks for the info Jim!
Can’t wait to try their donuts!!
Is this your whole schtick Mark?? Just being a contrarian to irritate people? well, I think it’s working.
Agree with you on this GG
Actually, GG, I really do love donuts and look forward to trying these.
Only a Scrooge like you can make donuts into a downer.
Lighten up a little. You might find yourself a happier person.
No line out the door at Levain this morning, or at least not when I walked by at 9:30am, but even the 74th St location is not too bad on a Wednesday morning at that time typically
Thursday at around 3, levain on amst was empty while 74th st had a line of about 15 people out the door 😁
No lines at 1:30, and there are TONS of kids and parents out and about. (Last day of school?) But the same apron’d employee is standing outside!
Very Nice..Thank you for sharing this info..
I think you mean “Friday, July 14” not “June 14”
June 14th?
Whoops, fixed that thanks.
All the tofu and spam you can eat, snail slime for the face–that’s H Mart. What’s not to like?
seems like an extremely ignorant comment. unsure why WSR would publish it.
the neighborhood will benefit from H Mart’s fresh produce, wide variety of fruits and vegetables, and well butchered meats.
and for what it’s worth, Korean cosmetics are leading innovation in the beauty world right now. the world wants that snail slime.
H-Mart is phenomenal. I can’t wait to have one in our neighborhood. They have incredibly hard-to-find products that are imperative for cooking authentic cuisine from Korea, Japan, China, and more. I wish they had a larger Thai section–still need to go to the one Thai grocery in Chinatown for kafir lime leaves and other. But other than that–so excited.
I checked out their site. The H Fresh is food that’s frozen or packaged in Korea. Is it the language difference, or are they indicating that it was fresh food when it was packaged in Korea?
eager to go
Yay! Yay! H-Mart! We’ve been eagerly anticipating their arrival. I wrote to them over a year ago, repeatedly, asking if they would please lease the old D’Agostino space. I doubt my emails had any effect, but it doesn’t even matter – we are just so thrilled they are coming! Such a great addition to the neighborhood, and with Westside and H-Mart together, we’re pretty set!
Walked up Broadway below 72nd St. yesterday and saw that Dan’s sushi and Trevi Nails just next door had their windows papered over. Closed?
Months ago. https://www.westsiderag.com/2017/03/01/openings-closings-gina-la-fornarina-dan-japanese-szechuan-garden-new-italian-spot
You need either to go out walking more, or read the West Side Rag more often.
(I love that: “Dan’s Sushi”. Good ol’ Dan!)
Live next to Levain no line on opening day
Levain is at 74th & Amstrrdam, not Columbus. It’ll be interesting if they can maintain both locations, as we’ve been told.
Thanks, fixed.
Not sure if Levain is experiencing growing pains or what, but for the second consecutive visit, I got home to find that the cookies in the bag were: a) NOT what I ordered; and 2) RAW dough. Tighten up the customer service and the quality control, or expansion won’t matter.
Sugar Factory sounds disgusting.
Still searching for a bakery on the UWS that can make a dense, yeasty cinnamon roll instead of these air-puffed cakey abominations that have proliferated of late.
Their’s is the sushi of cookies. Get used to it.
Sugar Factory is badly out of step with the modern healthy food trends of the area. They would do better with tourists from the mid-West. I have doubts they will last. See: Sugar Plumm.
I don’t disagree with you but I live right around the corner and every time I walk by there seems to be a lot of activity. On weekends there are limos lined up outside. From the looks of the crowds going in/coming out, they are not locals who are into healthy eating. Time will tell…
So what’s happening at the Sugar Factory? Some posts say it’s not open yet, but you’re saying there are limos lined up outside. Is the store located/hidden behind the back wall of the public area with the tables (first floor)?
The Bagel Nosh was for locals. This is a tourist destination because so is the area..
Agree with you on this ws.
I’ve seen zero signs of progress on the H-Mart building; hard to imagine it’ll open this summer. But, hey, I’d be happy to be proved wrong.
Fyi, Trader Joe people at 72nd told me they hope to open on Columbus Ave (92nd?) in January. They blamed the delay on construction problems. Apparently they are having trouble finding people who know how to build grocery stores.
Trader Joe’s is at 93rd & Columbus. I live in the building there and work is very slow. From what I can see every day is very little. There are a few workers around but nothing being done. We are told they will open in November.They have also had several stop work orders.
Service is beyond horrible at sugar factory.
Our order was all wrong, but with enthusiam. The operation seems poorly organized.
Sugar Factory?? is there a name more likely to drive health conscious UWS customers away??
I read numerous articles that sugar is unhealthy, so why recommend it? Please change the name to No-Sugar Factory, and create wonderful healthy food in the beautiful restaurant.
I wish you a lot of luck Sugar Factory! you’ll need it
It’s for tourists!
Here’ an old pic from the Sugar Factory that I found online.
I’m (way) over 30-something and not inclined to sugar binge, but I thought this was cute, and assume the SF is a fad right now and a place for kids to hang out and drink/overindulge.
I don’t think anyone is impressed with the cotton candy birthday ‘cake,’ at The 4 Seasons anymore. So here’s to Kendall Jenner: https://fb101.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Kendall-Jenner_King-Kong-Sundae.jpg
I went to the new Levain location this morning – love it!
Same delicious items and a very friendly staff.