Opinion
The 13 NYC Restaurants I Miss The Most
It's inevitable that some restaurants close down, despite the quality of their product. Here are some of the losses that still sting.
by Kenny Chung
Opinion
The 13 NYC Restaurants I Miss The Most
It's inevitable that some restaurants close down, despite the quality of their product. Here are some of the losses that still sting.
by Kenny Chung
One of the reasons I thought to create this website (and write a book) was after I realized how many of my favorite local businesses had closed over the years. While some of them did everything right, many of them could’ve been helped along the way. I dedicate my book to these fallen businesses, and if I had a time machine, I’d send them a copy of my book.
Here are a few of the NYC restaurants and bars I miss the most.
1) Zoë (LES, 2011-2014)
This was one of my favorite restaurants for the longest time – for brunch, for dinner, for anything. Chef Zoe Feigenbaum was perhaps best known for her appearances on cooking shows like Chopped, but she also helmed this neighborhood favorite that approached new American with a creative twist. I’ll definitely miss that Bloody Mary.
2) Freek’s Mill (Gowanus, 2016-2019)
Without exaggeration, Freek’s Mill was one of the most inventive meals I’ve had. The epitome of this sentiment was my (then future) brother-in-law saying of the stuffed quail: “I’ve never eaten anything like this before!” Sadly, Freek’s Mill’s time in a relatively quiet corner of Gowanus was short-lived. I’m sure if they opened a few years later after all the Gowanus-front luxury buildings were done, it’d be a different story.
3) Char No. 4 (Carroll Gardens, 2008-2015)
It seems like Smith Street has been in constant flux ever since I’ve moved to the area almost a decade ago (I can go on and on about the shady real estate deals that have led to this, but we don’t have time for that). Through most of that time, Char No. 4 was a reliable mainstay. The food was solid enough, but the insane whiskey selection and oyster happy hour were the real stars of the show. Char No. 4 was succeeded by Maysville in Flatiron and Kenton’s in New Orleans (both of which have since closed). I went to both, but neither really re-captured the magic of Char No. 4.
4) Pok Pok NY (Columbia Street Waterfront District, 2012-2018)
Even to this day, no conversation about Thai food in NYC can go two sentences without someone mentioning how much they miss Pok Pok. Andy Ricker basically put Northern Thai food on the NYC map and created a foodie mecca in an otherwise quiet corner of Brooklyn. At the peak of the Pok Pok empire, they also operated Whiskey Soda Lounge across the street, a casual bar whose seats were mostly occupied by the overflow of patrons waiting for their Pok Pok tables to be available.
5) Bierkraft (Park Slope, 2002-2015)
Before seemingly every neighborhood in Brooklyn had a brewery, Bierkraft was there filling growlers and selling relatively rare craft beers to go. They also had respectable sandwiches and a backyard that hosted their annual oyster/cask ale fest.
6) Talde (South Slope, 2012-2019)
Dale Talde’s eponymous first restaurant was a masterclass on Asian fusion. Dale, known for his stints on Top Chef, is a Filipino-American, but was adept at combining different cuisines – the pretzel dumpling being a crowd favorite. Unfortunately, Talde closed, along with various other locations that were once part of his restaurant group (including Atlantic Social and Talde Jersey City).
7) Umami Burger (Greenwich Village, 2013-2018; Williamsburg, 2015-2018)
Umami Burger made a big splash when they first landed on the east coast, and it was the perfect time too – the fast casual, slightly more upscale-than-fast-food burger was having its time in the sun. Perhaps they expanded too far and too soon, but Umami Burger was my one of my favorite burgers, and the Williamsburg location had an amazing backyard and happy hour (and a great bacon old fashioned). I’ll miss the truffle fries and housemade ketchup as well (thankfully, they’ve kept one NYC location open).
8/9) Prime Meats (Carroll Gardens, 2009-2018) and Wilma Jean (Carroll Gardens, 2014-2018)
I’m grouping these two together because the circumstances of their closings were very similar and happened around the same time. Both were part of restaurant reshufflings – Prime Meats was part of The Franks group (probably most well known for Frankies 457 Sputino) and was replaced by Frank’s Wine Bar; Wilma Jean was part of a group of restaurants including Nightingale Nine and Smith Canteen, and was closed as part of an ownership split (Wilma Jean briefly reopened at DeKalb Market Hall, but has since closed). Both were some of my favorite casual neighborhood spots – Prime Meats for one of the best low-key burgers (or full-on brunch), and Wilma Jean for their fried chicken and brunch drinks. They are both sorely missed.
10) The Cannibal (Murray Hill, 2010-2019)
The Cannibal was meat excess, but it was so good. They had a giant backyard, hosted meat events, and had a crazy beer selection. The pig’s head was probably their most recognizable dish.
11) BeeHive Oven Biscuit Cafe (Williamsburg, 2014-2018)
The owners John and Treva were some of the nicest folks around, so I was saddened to hear they closed. They were the definition of southern hospitality with some of the most comforting comfort food around. All of their loaded biscuit sandwiches were named after employees’ grandmothers.
12) Monument Lane (West Village, 2011-2017)
There’s really nothing like sidewalk dining in NYC in the summer/fall, and Monument Lane was located in just the right location that wasn’t too busy or too residential. Their new American meat dishes were all amazing, and sometimes, I still think about their whipped fresh ricotta.
