By Lisa Kava and Tracy Zwick
La Pecora Bianca, the popular Italian restaurant, has announced plans to open a second Upper West Side location at 61 Columbus Avenue (at West 62nd Street). “The anticipated opening of the new location is early summer 2026,” a spokesperson wrote to West Side Rag in an email. La Pecora Bianca is known for its fresh house-made pasta dishes, contemporary Italian dishes, and its modern, upscale setting. Its first Upper West Side location opened at 359 Columbus Avenue (at West 77th Street), in June 2022 taking the place of the short-lived Mediterranean restaurant 8th Hill, which followed longtime Upper West Side neighborhood staple Isabella’s. La Pecora Bianca also has locations in NoMad, Midtown, Bryant Park, Soho, and on the Upper East Side. “Like each of our locations {the new UWS spot} will have a completely unique interior design concept, and exclusive menu items including pizza,” the spokesperson wrote. “We are doing a gut renovation and creating an entirely new storefront and outside seating area,” Rosa Mexicano, the Mexican restaurant, which moved to 44 West 63rd Street earlier this month, was previously in the space. “We will update as we have more information. (Thanks to Nancy for the tip.)
Ooh La La, a consignment shop, opened on Friday, September 19th at 60 West 75th Street (between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue). Ooh La La specializes in women’s and men’s luxury resale, consignment, and vintage contemporary accessories. “I buy and sell designer luxury brand clothing, accessories and handbags, I do not buy or sell fast fashion or mass produced items,” owner Cassandra Goines told West Side Rag in a phone interview. “I recognize the need for eco-conscious fashion and want to inspire people to make responsible fashion choices, using sustainable natural fabrics. Fast fashion contributes to environmental landfills.” A former entertainment executive specializing in music, Goines entered the fashion industry in 2020 when she opened Harlem Creative Collective at 736 Saint Nicholas Avenue (at West 147th Street.) She closed that shop on September 7th, just before moving to the Upper West Side and opening Ooh La La. Jeannie’s Dream, a women’s hat and accessories shop which closed in January 2025 was previously in the space.
South of the Clouds, a Chinese restaurant, has opened at 1187 Amsterdam Avenue (between West 118th and 119th streets). A representative told West Side Rag by phone that they’re in a “soft opening” with a formal opening expected in the next few weeks. The restaurant specializes in mixian (a rice noodle) from the Yunnan Province of China. Its menu features long rice noodles paired with meat and vegetables and served with or without broth, as well as rice bowls, hot and cold appetizers and desserts. South of the Clouds has locations in Greenwich Village and Jersey City. This branch is part of Columbia’s retail portfolio. The space had been vacant for the past few years, but used to be the restaurant Friedman’s. (Thanks to Bob for the tip.)
Posh Pop Bakeshop, a gluten-free bakery, opened on Saturday, September 20th at 483 Columbus Avenue (between West 83rd and 84th streets.) Posh Pop was founded in 2012 in Red Bank, N.J. and now has locations in Times Square and the West Village. It serves cakes, cheesecakes, cookies, brownies, cakepops, pies, and more. The newest location on the UWS will differ from the others in that it will serve a gluten free cafe menu with sandwiches such as chicken pesto and grilled cheese, along with crepes. Posh Pop also serves coffee, cappuccino, matcha, and tea.
Patisserie Chanson, a bakery and pastry shop at 2040 Broadway (at West 71st Street), reopened on September 17th after being temporarily closed starting August 19th to address an electricity issue in the shop. “We needed to upgrade our entire electric system as it was not enough to support our coffee machines and other equipment,” the cafe’s manager told West Side Rag on a visit. “All is working well now and we look forward to welcoming our customers back.” In addition to bakery items such as croissants, baguettes, and fruit tarts, Patisserie Chanson also serves coffee, latte, espresso, and cappuccino. They offer a discount of 30 percent on all desserts daily after 3 p.m. ( Thanks to Joanne for the tip.)
QQ Nails & Spa, has signage up at 601 Amsterdam Avenue (between West 89th and 90th streets.) “The exact details and opening are still in the works,” QQ told West Side Rag via Instagram direct message, “but we are aiming to open in December.” QQ confirmed that they have over 35 locations across NYC, and advised readers to “stay tuned to our socials for updates and grand opening promotions.” Aquarius Hardware, which closed in 2023, used to be in the space.
Wendy’s, the fast-food restaurant chain, is opening a franchise at 2565 Broadway (between West 96th and 97th streets), a representative confirmed to West Side Rag by phone. No information was available about an expected opening date, or who will own and operate the new franchise. We will update when we have additional information. Getir, the app-based grocery delivery company, had previously occupied the space.
The Openings & Closings column wouldn’t be possible without our many tipsters: thank you! Anyone can send tips about openings and closings in the neighborhood to info@westsiderag.com.
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Re the Wendy’s site … I’m gonna open with a positive and say I’m looking forward to a double-double sooner than later. That said, the loss of Gourmet Garage on this stretch of block, still feel it!
Gourmet Garage, 2567 Broadway, c. 1996–Dec. 31, 2011: gone but not forgotten. No doubt many of us also recall West Side Health Food at 2569 Broadway (?–Dec. 2009). And at the north end, Nobody Beats the Wiz.
If you stroll by that spot, you can see a remnant of the Wiz – A “Nobody beats the WIZ” sign was uncovered by construction a few months ago and is still visible there now. Too bad I can’t attach a photo to a comment here.
I remember all of that…
Sad but understandable.
Stores that present minimal opportunity for shoplifting will be the norm.
Well, Wakefern nearly ruined Gourmet Garage.
I know!! I It was lovely.
Any update on Wegmans at 64th and Broadway. Put up signs months ago but zero activity.
Wegmans doesn’t have the UWS listed on its Future Stores weboage
https://www.wegmans.com/about-us/future-store-locations
I emailed them a few weeks ago and they said they are still working on the design. I told them to please hurry up!!
December 2026
I ask about this whenever I visit another Wegmans. No concrete answers yet…..
Dim Sum Sam was open by surprise on Broadway and 92nd the other day. A big sign that says All Day Dim Sum.
Ate there yesterday. YUM.
McD’s, Popey’s, now Wendy’s.
Welcome to the Mall of the Upper West Side
You haven’t loved here long have you? There used to bea McDonalds down the street from a Burger King. One block from each other. There used to be so many more McDonalds on the UWS, and they all closed.
Unless I’m forgetting one/some, the UWS has lost only a third of its McDonald’s restaurants, namely the branch once at 2271 Broadway (also the former Teacher’s Too site), which was there 1996–2015. The 2049 Broadway (Sherman Sq.) and 2549 Broadway (the oldest) locations remain; were there others? BTW, the Burger King was at 2277 Broadway, in the Saxony. So the situation isn’t quite so dire … if one considers the loss of McDonald’s branches a sign of direness.
I wrote something before but I think it was deleted
There was a McDonalds on 91st and Columbus.
My pony was just that for all the people complaining about fast food places opening up,,, there used to be more of them and then they closed up
There was one on 91st and Columbus . I didn’t know the one on 81st street had stayed open that long. I thought it had closed years before they.
There was the one on 125th and Broadway, which I know isn’t really UWS
No. Sadly I haven’t loved here long. But I have lived here long. Longer than you, I guarantee.
Having lived here my whole life, I doubt it.
I doubt you even lived here for any length of time.
What’s with all the gate keeping?
To me it doesn’t matter if you were fortunate enough to be born on the UWS (clearly not in ones control) as long as you love the UWS, live here and plan to die here, then you are an UWSider
I said I have lived here my whole life and you say you doubt I have lived here for any length of time
What have I said that indicated to you that I just moved here?
Tim
Better than empty store fronts!
empty store fronts beats Wendy’s any time in my book
Why,
Chains, chains and more chains. Corporate monopoly, uncontrolled rent gouging by Big Realty. When’s the last time we had a Mom & Pop business open on the UWS?
I’m pretty sure the new consignment shop fits that description.
Agree. A sad round up of openings more suitable for a suburban New Jersey strip mall.
Yeah Wendy’s! So excited.
Can we get an Arby’s up here? How about a Jimmy John’s and/or Jersey Mike’s?
And let’s get really crazy and get the first In N Out in the northeast – it would have lines around the block!
I’d settle for a Johnny Rockets.
What we really need is a Chick-Fil-A or Waffle House. Or how about a Cracker Barrel?
We already have a Chick-Fil-A at 98th and Columbus
There is a Chick-Fil-A on Columbus at the equivalent of 98th or so.
Pâtisserie Chanson is on the corner of West 70th and Broadway, not 71st.
Any word on replacement bagels at Absolute Bagels – looks like work is finally being done – and what about the West Side Market replacement? Any word there anyone?
Yes, work is in process on Absolute. It also started last week on Hashi, in the Garden of Eden space next to Absolute. (West Side Market is at 110th and going strong.)
Why does the area around 96th street have to have one fast food restaurant, one pizza place open one after the other? The neighborhood is getting worse not better. Can’t we even get a decent restaurant to open?
We need more luxury housing the neighborhood to get better stores and restaurants.
It’s harder when people pour shopping carts full of crumbs and bird seed on the pavement at that corner.
Ooh La La reminds me of a pushcart vendor from my childhood. I grew up in the South Bronx. Every summer a pushcart vendor selling jelly apples came along. On the side of his cart it said Ooh La La Jelly Apples. We called him Mr. Ooh La La, and patronized him when we had the money. I don’t remember how much they cost. Maybe five cents.
Really, a Wendy’s? It’s so sad that the good neighborhood restaurants close (e.g. Spiga, Abigails, Kancil…) but the fast food restaurants proliferate. Maybe the clientele up here doesn’t want to spend a little more for quality. We can do better UWS!
It’s the economy, friend.
When you’re counting pennies. a Wendy’s Jr. Bacon Burger for about $5.00 fills the bill. And the belly. Not a gourmet experience, but neither is it the $22 that my nearby diner charges for a burger (admittedly with fries).
People want both. And some people only fast food while others only want sit down. There’s rhyme and reason and room for both.
Unlike McD’s, who dropped their healthy salad choices during COVID, at least WENDY’s offer 4 reasonably healthy salads.
https://order.wendys.com/category/102/freshmade-salads?lang=en_US
Patisserie Chanson is actually at W 70th St and Broadway. And the discount after 3:00 is only available on specific days of the week, FYI
I stopped by Patisserie Chanson (70th St) Wednesday after 5 pm and got 50% off a large baguette, almost like getting it for a song. [Regular price $4.25] There was a sign out front about the discount. Good sourdough baguette, BTW.
You do all realize that Mom and Pops/Independent stores are struggling and terrified not only because of high rents but also because of what’s to come. People planning to vote for Mamdamni – do you realize he is proposing to raise the minimum wage to $30/hour? That is UNSUSTAINABLE for ANY SMALL BUSINESS. Someone out of high school would be be paid $30/hour and what do you think happens to the rest of the salaries for people who went to college, people who have been working for a number of years or are specialized?
Your Mom and Pops have been working our butts off to pay rent, keep a unique retail store alive and people are planning to vote for someone who will DESTROY SMALL BUSINESSES?
You wonder why only the chains come in? Only they can afford it here now. Because not only is it very expensive to have a small business, paying high rents, paying income taxes, payroll taxes, unemployment, sales taxes, now people think we can afford $30/hour when the streets are overflowing with garbage, mentally ill and people stealing so that people are only ordering online? WE CAN’T.
THIS IS YOUR REALITY. Please think twice about who you vote for if you really care about keeping your small independent stores alive. What kind of neighborhood would you like to have?
And the chain stores will use kiosks for ordering so they need fewer employees.
Either business will stop exploiting labor or yes, shops will close and landlords will have to stop exploring tenants.
The deterioration of this area began a long time before Mamdani filed for mayor.
You are 100% correct. Many businesses – large and small – are already suffering from the increase in minimum wage. Businesses are raising prices and laying off and reducing hirings as a result of the high minimum wage.
If Mamdani raises the minimum wage to $30/hour businesses will either go under or will raise their prices significantly.
Economics is all about trade offs.
And on Broadway between 72nd and 96th… Nothing
I saw a Gourmet Garage on East 96street…from the crosstown bus…..
Wasn’t that the original location ?????
Patisserie Chanson Is fantastic! I make a point of stopping in for coffee and a pastry whenever I’m in the neighborhood.
Why is 96th turning into Penn station jr? ugh!