Openings & Closings: The Cottage, Chi’s Cleaners, Studio Ix, Barnacho
The Cottage Restaurant, a Chinese spot that closed last year after decades at 77th and Amsterdam, appears to be coming back. A sign for the restaurant was spotted by Dan Jewel in the window of the former La Caridad at 78th and Broadway. A liquor license application from owner Benny Cheong was filed with the state in March. And the sign uses the same font as the original restaurant.
A new pharmacy is opening at 850 Amsterdam Avenue between 101st and 102nd, according to brokers Zelnik & Company.
Chi’s Cleaners at has closed with a for rent sign on the door, tipster Twilla tells us.
Studio IX has opened at 2162 Broadway at 76th Street, in the old New York Sports Club space. The space was gut renovated, owner Joel Prouty tells us. “Studio IX is a 7,000 square foot private training facility and gym open to the public. We offer independent personal trainers from all over the city a clean, safe, Covid free place to train one on one. We also offer small group training and monthly memberships to gym goers who don’t chose to work with a trainer.” The studio also has special training programs for professionals like dancers or actors.
Mexican restaurant Barnacho has put its sign up at 480 Amsterdam Avenue at 83rd Street, the former J.G. Melon space. Check out Barnacho’s menu at its midtown location here. Thanks to Carrie for the tip
Great news! We missed The Cottage – that was our go-to Chinese place. Their food is not extraordinary, but it is very consistent, delivery was quick and prices were reasonable.
Is The Cottage related to the deeply missed Columbia Cottage that used to be at 111th and Amsterdam? Hope so!
Woo Hoo! Free jug wine is back!
Hey, it’s the finest BOX wine, just decanted! Add enough ice and you’re all set. Seriously, I can’t wait to see The Cottage reopen at whatever location close by. Really miss their steamed meat dumplings; they are not gooey as they are in other restaurants.
I loved the Cuban dishes of La Caridad, I hope they will be offered also. I was a loyal customer of La Caridad for over 40 years, and mourn it’s passing with covid19
We used to call The Cottage (pre-iPhone) and within 10 minutes the food would be delivered. We lived around the corner, but we started to wonder if they had a kitchen in our building somewhere. It’s consistent. And affordable! Can’t wait!
Yes, we had the same experience, 3 blocks away! We’d hang up the phone and 5 minutes later the delivery man was here. We always wondered if he heated the hot and sour soup on the way … or had ESP … or something!
Simche Cleaners on Columbus Avenue between 94th and 95th closed or moved. That building, 70 East 95th Street, used to have five separate businesses — Simche Cleaners, Daniello’s Pizza, Food City, Mr. Babbington’s BBQ and a picture framing shop — and now ALL those businesses are gone and vacant and not one of them has been replaced. Either they have some big development plans or they just have a very bad real estate agent.
They kicked Food City out a long time ago with plans to develop the plaza there much like they did on Amsterdam between 95th and 96th (same owners). But they just never did it as Amsterdam sat empty for a decade. Maybe now that they have renters, they are starting again.
Am not 100% certain but believe owner of Simche Cleaners also has CleanLab on West 79th just off Broadway.
It true CleanLab filed for and received PPP loan funding, but the other location (Simche) didn’t.
https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/cleanlab-inc-3599588010
It is fairly common for those owning dry cleaning establishments to have more than one or even several locations.
Simche moved a few blocks south, across from Trader Joe’s, with a new name. On move out day, they told me that the landlords of that stretch, which included the now-departed Daniello’s, wanted it all vacant so they could find a single tenant. Seems brave to kick out two thriving businesses! And what wonderful news about the old Caridad space…The Cottage is great, a silver lining to the cloud of Caridad’s closure.
Thanks. We’ll see how long that takes. Food City was a thriving business and that building has been vacant for eight years.
There were once a dozen or so Cottages, all with identical red and green menus. Can we be sure this new place shares any more than the name? I loved the stir-fried soft shell crabs they all had every spring.
I’m fairly certain it is not the same family at this location The Cottage as was on Amsterdam and 77th for 38 years…
Hi, Jeff. The old location is closed due to the need for outside structural repairs, according to someone on the street. (True?) The Cottage might have just found a new location where they wouldn’t have to deal with an extensive building repair. But I don’t know for sure.
Anyone have insight to the status of Cipriani at Waterline? Starting to think it’s never going to open.
Seconding this question. The interior had tile and fixtures and maybe even some furniture as of last summer, but no signs of life lately and the windows are mostly covered with signs.
So many good restaurants are mourned routinely, yet somehow the worst Chinese food on the UWS, and perhaps the city, The Cottage, is moving into a new space?
Thomas, It seems as if you are an outlier in your evaluation of The Cottage. What neighborhood Chinese food do you recommend?
Thanks, Westside Rag. This is great news. We missed The Cottage very much when they closed. I’m glad the new Cottage will be so close to where the old restaurant was. I hope the old staff return.
Update: the new Plant Shed is lovely, though they’re taking things upscale–soaps, candles and things like that now, in addition to the cute cafe. Somewhat reduced variety–maybe that will change as summer approaches–but still lots and lots of plants.
Unfortunately the fancy new digs came with fancy new prices–the amount I paid for three herb plants is frankly too embarrassing to disclose here, but I haven’t been able to find basil in the neighborhood. I should have saved my $$ and gone to Union Square.
(This is the new location on Amsterdam, between 95th and 96th.)
The Cottage was our absolute favorite go-to and for delivery for our 30 years on the UWS! Loved the owner and all the staff. So reliable, delicious, and FAST! Reason to move back?!!
Hello, all! Any news about The Cottage? Went by yesterday and saw the signs in the windows along with some permits (which I couldn’t stop to read). Thanks.
What other news do you need? I can’t understand how people get so obsessed about a mediocre restaurant in a city with a zillion restaurants to choose from.