UPDATE: An Investigation Into Whether Miznon Will Ever Open in Morningside Heights

UPDATE: Thursday, May 28 at 11:30 a.m.: Emily Castro, a spokesperson for Miznon, reached back out to West Side Rag on Thursday morning to provide added information about the delays related to opening its Morningside Heights location.

“We have experienced some timing delays related to permitting requirements, which can be a natural part of the restaurant development process,” Castro wrote in an email. “At this stage, we are awaiting final approval of the gas permits.”

By Gus Saltonstall

In October of 2022, Columbia University announced that the fast-casual Mediterranean eatery Miznon would soon be opening its doors at 2895 Broadway, between West 112th and 113th streets.

Signage for Miznon on the storefront then went up in the summer of 2023. That signage has stayed up, for nearly three years, as has the “Coming Soon” message for the Columbia University location on the eatery’s website.

Yet, despite the real-world and online signage, Miznon has never opened. For years, readers have emailed West Side Rag asking “Why?”.

“Hi, wondering if you know when/if Miznon is opening 113th and Broadway,” Tammy Spielman wrote to the Rag in 2024. Another reader, Gary Levin, wrote in February of this year, “But at least three years after signage went up at Miznon, and despite construction activity in recent months, the store — which looks nearly complete — remains unopened. Do you have any intel?”

Harper Raines framed it as a plea: “Please do your loyal readers and restaurant lovers a favor and ask Miznon management when they plan to open a new place at 2895 Broadway.”

Over the past few years, this West Side Rag reporter has sent a couple of requests for information to Miznon about the Morningside Heights location, but there was no response.

This time around, we were determined to get an answer. And that we did, but not right away.

On May 18, the Rag sent a request for information through Miznon’s contact option on its website. When no response came that day, WSR followed up by sending the same request for information to the restaurant’s posted email address.

The Rag also visited Miznon on Tuesday to see if we could find out anything in person.

On our visit, we did not see anyone in the restaurant space, but it was clear from looking through the window that there was ongoing active work. Inside, there is a grill and a counter near the back wall of the space, along with a handful of chairs and tables.

There were also dozens of boxes, as well as what appeared to be construction plans and energy drinks suggesting workers had recently been inside.

The front door of 2895 Broadway is plastered with job filings and notices from the city.

With no response yet from Miznon, and nobody inside the storefront to speak with in person, the permits provided another way to find information about the possibility of the restaurant opening. But first, the Rag also emailed Columbia’s Board of Trustees, which owns 2895 Broadway, to ask when Miznon might open. That email has gone unanswered.

The postings on the door of 2895 Broadway listed three different government agencies: The New York City Department of Buildings, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, and the New York State Liquor Authority.

Starting with the DOB, the types of projects being performed within the building could provide clues into whether Miznon was on its way.

At 2895 Broadway, there were seven recently permitted construction jobs associated with a ground-floor restaurant called “Miznon”; however, some of these permits were allowed to expire before being completed.

From November of 2025 to January of 2026, jobs had been finished within the Miznon storefront for “general construction,” “structural work,” “HVAC work,” “storefront work,” and “interior demolition work.” On the other hand, permits for plumbing and sprinkler work had been allowed to expire without being completed.

Since 2895 Broadway is within the Morningside Heights Historic District, there is certain work that needs to be approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission, which most recently approved a permit for the address in 2023 in connection to HVAC work.

And then there was the New York State Liquor Authority.

A spokesperson for the Liquor Authority confirmed to the Rag that it had “conditionally approved” a liquor license on September 23, 2025, for a restaurant called Miznon at 2895 Broadway. A common conditionality the state agency connects to its licenses is that the restaurant be open in order for full approval to take place.

The answer to whether or when Miznon will open had not been answered yet, but at this point, the Rag knew Miznon had taken the time in the past couple of years to submit applications to both the Landmarks Preservation Commission and for a liquor license. Additionally, it had completed DOB-approved work for projects that could indicate preparation for a restaurant opening.

On May 19, the Rag again reached out through both the contact form on Miznon’s website and to its email address.

And then it happened.

On May 20, a spokesperson named Emily Castro from Nike Communications sent the Rag the following: