After a particularly brutal winter, spring arrived with a bang in New York City, and with it, a slew of new places to eat, drink, snack, and shop. From a Village pizza opening to the return of a believed scoop ice cream shop to a Brooklyn waterfront mini mart with excellent to-go sandwich options, here are five recent and notable openings to know about.
The Goods Mart
Last week, Rachel Krupa opened the doors to The Goods Mart at its new flagship location in South Williamsburg at the Williamsburg Wharf. Originally designed as a better-for-you convenience store, which Krupa founded in 2018, the new store focuses on discovery and community, featuring more than 400 products across over 250 brands.
“At our core, we’re here to help people discover what’s next,” Krupa says. “This store is really a physical expression of that, a showroom of snacks built for the neighborhood.”
Under-the-radar and emerging names are mixed with cult favorites from Los Angeles and New York, including Jon & Vinny’s x Canyon Coffee, pierogies from Veselka, and sandwiches from Alidoro. 470 Kent Ave., Williamsburg, Brooklyn thegoodsmart.com
Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream
After closing his Greenwich Village ice cream shop last fall, Nick Morgenstern is back on the Lower East Side. Replacing Morgenstern’s Bananas, the now-closed soft-serve concept, this is a return of the original neighborhood where it all started.
Opening (or re-opening) in late April, much to the delight of many New Yorkers, the shop shifted back to ice cream. On top of his usual tome of exciting ice cream flavors, Morgenstern’s new flavors this year include: Hong Kong milk tea, olive oil chocolate sorbet, and banana mocha swirl. 2 Rivington St., Lower East Side, morgensternsnyc.com
Yesterday’s
Because you can never have too much of a good thing, last month Yesterday’s opened in the West Village, a new bar with excellent food and major “this place feels like it’s been here forever” vibes. Blending classic cocktails, solid food, and a lively atmosphere is what makes Yesterday’s stand out.
For example, the bar bites from executive chef Robert Siebern, which include an array of wood-fired pizzas (served from open to close) designed for sharing, along with mozzarella sticks, Wagyu burgers, and grilled shrimp tacos. 157 Bleecker St., Greenwich Village, yesterdaysnyc.com
Café Fleuri
Last month, chef and owner Edi Frauneder (who many will remember from Edi and the Wolf) opened Café Fleuri in the Financial District, a French-inspired eatery that celebrates all things France. Fleuri replaced Schilling, and the chef’s goal was to create a truly European café, where meals turn into events, and the hours fly by.
Among the menu highlights are classics like: Frauneder’s burger with Gruyere and onion confit and an impeccable chocolate mousse. When the weather permits, guests should head to the beautiful New York backyard garden for alfresco dining and drinks. 109 Washington St., Financial District, cafefleuri.com
Regina’s Grocery
This month, Regina’s Grocery, the Lower East Side sandwich shop with iconic subs, opened its sixth outpost on First Avenue in the East Village. The Italian-American sandwich spot is run by Roman Grandinetti and has locations peppered around the city, including the original on Orchard Street, plus Little Italy, and the Upper East Side.
East Villagers are undoubtedly delighted to now have closer access to the Meatball Parm Hero and other yummy delights including the family-inspired sandwiches named after Grandinetti‘s relatives like Uncle Jimmy, Lil Phil, and Grandma Lucy. 111 1st Ave., East Village, reginasgrocery.com
