No neighborhood in New York has higher bagels than the Upper West Side, per capita. That’s simply easy bagel math. So it shocked neighbors once they discovered that Absolute Bagels — not the neighborhood’s greatest, however a longtime staple nonetheless — had abruptly shut its doorways at 2788 Broadway, between West 107th and 108th streets. It was first opened there in 1992 by Sam Thongkrieng — a Thai immigrant, one in every of a number of on the time shaping New York bagels — who had earned credibility via working at Ess-a-Bagel. A dealer confirmed to the neighborhood weblog West Side Rag that the bagel store was completed. “I rented to Sam 30 years in the past, he’s gone now (leaving the area) and it’s my job to re-rent the shop,” Evans advised the native weblog. “And all of us agree one other bagel retailer is the best precedence and greatest use of the area.” However, the choice to shut seems to be extra sophisticated than simply an proprietor prepared to depart the bagel recreation. It appears to have coincided with a well being inspection on December 11, docked for 67 factors that included “proof of rats or dwell rats,” and “dwell roaches,” in line with Grub Street.
A brand new bakery arrives in Bed-Stuy this weekend
Isa Steyer and Billy Wright, who labored collectively at L’Appartement 4F, are opening Welcome Home Bakery in Bed-Stuy this Saturday, December 14 at 8 a.m. They’ll begin with a extra slender menu of bread like a “Billy baguette” with olives and herbes de Provence, sesame loaves, a “pig in mattress” (“sausage roll meets Pop Tart meets pig in blanket… must be insane,” says Steyer), plus croissants, and low with Stumptown beans. Eventually, the menu will increase with gadgets like sandwiches, similar to a ham-and-potato-chip one, and one other with chickpea salad on ciabatta. Welcome Home Bakery is positioned at 1047 Bedford Avenue and Greene Avenue.
A Balkan restaurant closes after greater than a decade run
Serving Croatian and Serbian dishes, Selo closed final month in Astoria; the Balkan bakery and restaurant has been within the neighborhood (33-05 Broadway, at thirty third Street) for 13 years. It’s one in every of over 50 closures which have shuttered in Astoria since 2022, in line with the Astoria Post. The article cites the upcoming closure of M. Wells and lists the companies misplaced within the space, together with 90-year-old Mike’s Diner.
