By Lisa Kava
Boucherie, a French restaurant group, is planning to open an Upper West Side location at 444 and 446 Columbus Avenue (between West 81st and West 82nd streets), Donald Bernstein, attorney for Boucherie, confirmed to West Side Rag. Signage is in the window and a liquor license application has been filed with Community Board 7. 446 Columbus was previously The MIlling Room which closed in December 2025, initially turning into a temporary pop-up called Comete NYC. 444 Columbus was previously a Starbucks which closed in 2025.
The future of the large Milling Room space has been somewhat of a mystery. Both Eater and The New York Post reported that a restaurant called Ashi, with a famed chef from Mexico, was planning to open in the space. The Post later reported that it was The Milling Room’s owner, Luis Gonzales, who planned to open Ashi, before disappearing suddenly from the scene; the Post reported that Gonzales allegedly owing over $1 million in back rent on the space.
Boucherie has other Manhattan locations in Union Square, Midtown, and the West Village. It also has locations in Chicago, Washington D.C. and Miami. It was “created to be the perfect blend of an indulgent steakhouse and a refined Parisian brasserie,” the website says. Menu items include; steak frites, French onion soup, fromage plates, and seafood dishes. We will update when we have more information and an expected opening date. (Thanks to Angie for the tip.)
TALEA Beer Inc, a female-founded brewery, is slated to open in early fall 2026 at 441 Amsterdam Avenue (between West 81st and West 82nd streets). TALEA was founded in 2019 by Tara Hankinson and LeAnn Darland with a mission to expand craft beer “beyond the beer bros,” Hankinson wrote to West Side Rag in an email. The duo sold beer door to door across NYC and eventually opened their flagship location in Williamsburg. They have since opened five other locations (Cobble Hill, West Village, Bryant Park and a pop-up in Penn Station.) “For {the UWS} location we’re going to harness the natural charm and gorgeous light the space gets,” Hankinson wrote.
TALEA brews a variety of beer styles including bestseller Al Dente, an Italian-style pilsner, and specialty sour beers like Pina Colada Splash and Rainbow Cookie. The Amsterdam Avenue location will feature an all-day menu with “heartier dishes for evenings and weekends,” Hankinson wrote. “Our menu will include brunchy and lunch crowd favorites, entrees for evenings, and kid friendly food.” The brewery will also serve wine and cocktails. “Our ethos is that beer should be approachable and fun, and most breweries don’t focus on hospitality, comfort, and a beautiful space,” Hankinson explained. She and Darland are both moms of young children, and focus on creating spaces that can work both for a date night and for a Sunday morning with the kids. It has been a goal for Darland, a former Upper West Sider, to open a TALEA on the UWS. Planned hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., with a later closing time on weekend nights, Hankinson said. St. James Gate, the Irish pub which closed in 2024, was the last tenant in the space. (Thanks to Jordan for the tip.)
Kobrick Coffee, a coffee shop, opened on May 26th at 269 Columbus Avenue (between West 72nd and West 73rd streets). The coffee shop, which was previously in the Meatpacking District, is now in a partnership with Dahlia’s cocktail lounge, sharing the space. Kobrick vacated its home in the Meatpacking District when the landlord decided to renovate the space, a Kobrick representative told West Side Rag. The arrangement with Dahlia’s is permanent, Dahlia’s owner Jeremey Wladis told the Rag. Kobrick Coffee is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and serves coffee, tea, chai and matcha. It also features a breakfast and small lunch menu offering croissants, toast, danishes, croque monsieur and madame, and a chopped salad. At 5 p.m. the space turns back into Dahlia’s. (Thanks to Sam for the tip.)
Cocina Consuelo, a Mexican restaurant, soft-opened on May 28th at 224 West 104th Street (between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenues). This is the second location for the restaurant, which was founded by husband-and-wife team Lalo Rodriguez and Karina Garcia during the pandemic as a “take-out” venture from their Harlem apartment. Both had prior restaurant backgrounds, Eater reported; Garcia at Eleven Madison Park and Rodriguez at Cosme. Rodriguez and Garcia opened their first restaurant at 130 Hamilton Place (at West 143rd Street) in August 2024. The Infatuation described it as a “New York love song,” adding, “you’ll find a surplus of unexpected moments at this tiny restaurant in Hamilton Heights, which rolls over with music, laughter, and the smell of good cooking.” Menu items include fajitas, quesadillas, tacos, tortillas, and masa pancakes. The UWS location is currently open for dinner Wednesdays through Fridays from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., and on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Malaysia Grill which closed in 2024 was previously in the space.
Lululemon , the athleisure clothing store, closed its location at 2935 Broadway (between West 114th and West 115th streets), in April. Signage on the door directs customers to the store’s locations at 216 Columbus Avenue (at West 70th Street), and to the Shops at Columbus Circle. According to a clerk at the Columbus Avenue location, “it was a small shop primarily serving the Columbia University community, rather than a main store.” As of yesterday, Lululemon had not responded to West Side Rag’s outreach asking the reason for the closure. (Thanks to Richard for the tip.)
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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