By Lisa Kava and Sara Lewin Lebwohl
Telio Taverna, the Greek restaurant that has been operating in the evenings out of Good Enough to Eat, at 520 Columbus Avenue, is moving to its own space at 2672 Broadway (at West 102nd Street). The move is expected within the next month. Telio’s had closed its original location on Broadway (between West 92nd and West 93rd Street), in December 2022 due to high rent. Soon after closing, owner Yianni Berbeis made an arrangement with Good Enough to Eat’s owner Jeremy Wladis, to share space. The upcoming Telio Taverna was originally going to be called Volta (as reported by West Side Rag), but ultimately Berbeis decided to keep the Telio name. The menu will feature some of Telio’s previous menu items and will be similar to Korali, which Berbeis owns on the Upper East Side. “We will serve moussaka, branzino, fresh salmon, pastas, gyros, salads and kabobs,” Berbeis told West Side Rag on a phone call.
Berbeis’s 91-year-old mother, Arseno, will oversee the chefs. “Her recipes and ideas are the foundation of Telio Taverna.” Berbeis told the Rag. The restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner with weekend brunch. Abigail’s, the So-Cal inspired restaurant which closed in March, was previously in the space. As for Good Enough to Eat, it will go back to serving its own dinner menu with some “new innovative fun food along with a new Greek corner,” Wladis told the Rag. (Thanks to Renee for the tip.)
El Coco, the Mexican taqueria at 104 West 73rd Street (just west of Columbus Avenue), closed in early October. Arte Cafe, the Italian restaurant next door, is under the same ownership. They plan to expand into the former El Coco space and use it for private dining and an event space, a spokesperson confirmed to West Side Rag on a phone call and on a visit to the restaurant. El Coco’s two other Manhattan locations, Hell’s Kitchen and Chelsea, will remain open. (Thanks to Amy for the tip.)
La Perla Nascosta, an Italian restaurant, has signage up at 206 West 79th Street. The space was previously an Italian bistro, Ciao Paisan which closed in July. Before that, longtime restaurant Coppola’s which closed in 2023 was in the space. The restaurant is going to look almost exactly the same as before, but will be freshly painted, a representative from La Perla Nascosta said at the recent CB7 meeting. There will be indoor seating for 24 guests, and a pizza oven in the back. Hours are slated to be 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. We will update when we have more information.
Durar Cafe, a coffee shop, opened on October 10th at 996 Amsterdam (between West 108th and West 109th streets.) They serve croissants, bagels, muffins, pancakes, crepes, and waffles. They also serve coffee and tea. A bodega was previously in the space. (Thanks to Erik for the tip.)
Tim Morehouse Fencing, a fencing studio, opened on October 10th at 2710 Broadway (between West 103rd and West 104th streets). Founded over 10 years ago by Olympic silver medalist Tim Morehouse, the fencing club now has five locations including another on the Upper West Side at 120 West 91st Street (between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue). Fencing classes are offered for children starting at age 6, as well as teenagers and adults. There are holiday and summer camps for kids. Private instruction is also offered for both children and adults.
United Cleaners, a dry cleaner and tailor, opened in late July at 477 Central Park West (at West 108th Street). Owner Riaz Anjum has been in the dry cleaning business for 20 years, in partnerships with others and mostly downtown, he told West Side Rag, on a phone call. This is the first that he owns exclusively. United Cleaners is offering an ongoing discount of 20% on all services for new customers. (Thanks to Gary for the photo and the tip.)
ICYMI: Jacob’s Pickles, the restaurant and bar, is moving from 509 Amsterdam Avenue (between West 84th and West 85th streets), to 688 Columbus Avenue (between West 92nd and West 93rd streets), today, Wednesday October 15th. Jacob’s Pickles had first announced the move in May 2024. A Mexican restaurant, Agave, which closed in September 2023 was previously in the space, following longtime Mexican restaurant Gabriella’s. Read West Side Rag’s coverage here.
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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Good riddance to Jacob’s Pickles. That block is liking walking through someone’s kitchen; with kids in tow, it’s difficult.
How is it fair for companies to take over sidewalks and parts of roads?
I agree with you one thousand percent
I’ve said this several times before on articles mentioning Jacob’s Pickles and every article has the same quick reaction comment so I’ll say it here as well: We live on the same block and the restaurant could not be better neighbors. They are quiet when they need to be quiet, respectful of the folks who live above and next to them, and excitingly, are fun to be around. Every day feels like a little party when I walk out my door and folks are eagerly waiting for a meal. Sad to see them leave though I look forward to what Velvet Cowboy can be!
Is this Jacob? I live across the street and they have been TERRIBLE neighbors. Load, delivery trucks on the regular at 4am until 7:30am, leaf blowers on Sunday mornings at 7am, and playing load music as early at 930am. I am THRILLED they are gone!
In other words, they’re generally not quiet! Just when they need to be whatever that means.
As a former member of CB7, I was consistently opposed to enclosed outdoor cafes; I didn’t mind unenclosed cafes, since they were easier to regulate and monitor. But once you build a semi-permanent structure for an enclosed cafe on the sidewalk, you will, to a greater degree than not, impinge on pedestrian space. And toward the end of my tenure with CB7, we were approving fewer and fewer enclosed outdoor cafes (though since the Board is only “advisory,” the DCA occasionally overrode our disapprovals).
In fact, the Board was almost unanimously opposed to the structure built by the old Artie’s Delicatessen, and fought hard to prevent it. There were even protests at the site. And when Artie’s closed, we fought like hell to have the structure taken down, but since it is not the landlord’s responsibility, they refused to pay the cost of doing so. So that structure – arguably the largest and most impinging ever built on the UWS – stayed up, empty, for years.
Ironically, it wasn’t the landlord or the next restaurant owner who got it removed. It was the TV/film company that produced The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. They were using the cafe for indoor shots on a regular basis, and felt the structure was impeding their ability to film, and costing them money. So they asked the City if they could remove it. The City said yes, and the film company paid to have it removed.
Only in New York.
I’m glad you she light on that. I was always under the impression that the CB7 Board had discounted meals, as result of approving that extension into the sidewalk. That was the most annoying enclosed cafe that ever existed on the UWS. How the DCA approved it is beyond belief!
So glad they will be gone!!!!
As someone whose bedroom window almost faces the restaurant, I’m not looking forward to it! As long as they’re quiet it’ll be fine but they’re not quiet where they are now.
Let’s make it harder for businesses!! Everyone stay home, order delivery for everything, whine for cleanliness and quiet and have Amazon deliver all the cheap stuff you could want— and pretend we are in the burbs! Let’s just grow old and cranky!!! Wheee- the neighborhood is just about dead- empty storefronts. Less and less families, public schools shrinking, retail dead- kick it to the curb!!!! America!!!
People eating on a street or sidewalk, and pedestrians getting chicken parm on their shirts because of lackadasical waiters, and physical inability to walk with kids in tow.
They shouldn’t own the sidewalks!
You do know that the old spot is becoming a new bar, yes?
Yes, please be more considerate neighbors this time.
Yianni Berbeis owns both Telio and Korali? I’m shocked! I only dined at Korali once (very recently) but it was fantastic. Off the charts great. I can’t wait to go back. I’ve dined at Telio several times since it started sharing the Good Enough to Eat space and it’s generally been OK or so-so, but certainly not remarkable. And the last time I ate there (early July) it was awful, so I resolved not to return. Go figure.
Does the owner of Korali also own Mykonian House on East 83rd?
They should change the name. Telio is the homeless restaurant that keeps moving around.
Hopefully the new restaurant in the old Coppola’s location will keep the old Coppola’s chicken parm recipe – it was the best around! Someone please report back.
Hopefully they do away with chicken parm and other faux-Italian Americanized dishes. I’d like to see food that’s actually served in Italy, not Olive Garden.
Bring on the arugula and the gabbagool!
If you don’t like it, go to another restaurant. Don’t be such a grouch. Or as my kids say, don’t yuck my yum!
Most Italian food is Italian-American as is Chinese food Chinese-American and Mexican food Mexican-American. New Yorkers are self-appointed food snobs. Travel to these countries to know the real cuisine. Restaurants adapt many foreign recipes to accommodate the limited tastes of Americans. BTW, Coppolas survived for over 30 years as a popular neighborhood restaurant for good reason.
You’re going to the wrong restaurants. Regional authenticity can be found in NYC if you know where to go. As for Coppola’s survival, many mediocre-to-poor restaurants have longevity. It’s because the food is familiar, predictable, family-friendly and cheap. That does not make them good. Learn the difference.
Do you have any recommendations?
I came here to (more or less) say that.
https://www.curbed.com/article/robert-malta-arte-cafe-noise-complaints-landlord.html
Ouch.
I hope Cafe Mila next door doesn’t get affected much by Jacob’s Pickles. They have better prices and the staff is amazing!
The new Jacob’s Pickles is actually between West 93rd and 94th.
So excited to hear that Telio’s is opening near me. I hope they keep the lamb burger on the menu, it’s fantastic!
The new location of Jacob’s Pickles is between 93rd and 94th Streets.
First of all, it needs to be mentioned that Jacob’s pickles was shuttered by the health department at its old location with some really disgusting offenses! Go at your own risk!
Also, when Telia’s was opening out of good enough to eat their food used different recipes than it did at the old location that was so delicious at Broadway and 93rd. I hope it becomes like the old Telio’s! And not what it has been like at good enough to eat
Jacob’s Pickles is delicious, as is Maison Pickle, and Jacob’s restaurants are great draws to the Upper West Side. I don’t get all the anger. We have a successful local business adding more to the neighborhood. I wish them all the best at the new location. I just hope they fill the new space—the new restaurant is huuuge.
the issue is when the restaurant impedes walkers, people in wheelchairs, people with kids, and busy times of the day.
If they can use these public spaces, politicians should trumpet that they are paying higher taxes for it, and someone it’s helping the general public.
The new location of Jacob’s Pickles already had an enclosed outdoor patio area that has been there for many years. The sidewalk there is on the wider side so it doesn’t impede walking on that block. Yes it is an abnormally large outdoor space (which I am sure is why they moved there) and the sidewalk would be more maneuverable if the outdoor structure wasn’t there. But again, you can walk on that block without difficulty. I walked by it on opening night and it was packed.
El coco gone? Shocking! Good riddance. The staff was not friendly, the space was super dark, no space to sit with how the tables were set up. Their menu online also claimed they had restaurant week specials and we went and they had nothing. Hopefully something better comes around.
Not as many people willing to head north of 86th at night. Jacob’s out of business in a year. The space to way too big.
I think it will do well in the new location. There are a lot of people who live in the 90’s including all of the people in the luxury buildings between 97th and 100th streets. There aren’t a lot of restaurants up that high so there is a need. Plus there is a lot of foot traffic coming from the 96th and CPW train station. I suspect that some of the vacant stores, such as the Hunan 94 site that closed a few years ago, may open as restaurants as a result of the increased foot traffic.
Yes, says 1980.