Times Square Touts Business Revival Amid NYC's Reopening

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — Well over a hundred businesses have reopened their doors in the Times Square area in recent months, according to a neighborhood group, which is touting the numbers as evidence of Midtown's revival.

About 175 businesses that shut down during the pandemic have begun to welcome back customers, the Times Square Alliance said Monday. That cohort includes restaurants, retailers and large hotels like the Westin and W New York.

Meanwhile, about 18 new brick-and-mortar businesses have opened up shop in and around Times Square since the pandemic began — many of them restaurants, bars and fast-casual eateries.

"We are thrilled to see our local businesses continue to reopen, along with new businesses launching in our district," said Tom Harris, the Alliance's acting president and chief operating officer, in a news release.

Pedestrian traffic, which hit a record low of 33,000 per day during the worst days of COVID-19, has rebounded to about 138,000 — the highest since the pandemic began, Harris said.

City officials have pinned their hopes on Midtown as a symbol of New York's resurgence, after the business district was left emptied out by the rise of office work due to the coronavirus.

According to the Times Square Alliance, the new and recently-reopened businesses in the area include the following (descriptions by the Alliance):

• COOK Eatery (115 West 45th St) – Opened during the pandemic in October 2020: an American eatery with sandwiches, smoothies, coffee and more.
• Don’t Tell Mama (343 West 46th Street) – Celebrating almost 40 years in business, the legendary live entertainment destination on Restaurant Row is now welcoming back guests.
• Ichiran (152 West 49th St.) – Known for their popular tonkotsu ramen, Ichiran reopened this year.
• Jasmine’s Caribbean Cuisine (371 West 46th St.) – Opened during the pandemic in 2020 on Restaurant Row, Jasmine’s Caribbean Cuisine is a Black-owned business, serving a menu that is inspired by the cuisine of Dominica, Antigua, St. Thomas, Trinidad and Jamaica, with recipes that have been handed down for generations within their family.
• Krispy Kreme (1601 Broadway) – Opened during the pandemic in September 2020, this first-of-its-kind 4,500 square foot shop now serves fresh doughnuts 24/7.
• Prime Catch 46 (140 West 46th St.) – Opened during the pandemic in 2020 as a new steakhouse and seafood restaurant.
• Red Poke (600 9th Ave. & 885 8th Ave.) – Reopened as a fast-casual Korean eatery that offers daily prepared grain, noodle, or salad bowls.
• Silky Kitchen (138 West 46th St.) – Opened during the pandemic in October 2020 as a new fast-casual eatery, serving authentic Hunan-style dishes such as soup noodles and dumplings.
• The Mean Fiddler (266 West 47th St.) – The popular Irish pub in Times Square reopened this year and has welcomed the likes of Bono, Jimmy Fallon, and Liam Gallagher over the years.
• Tony’s DiNapoli (147 West 43rd St.) – Serving some of the best New York Italian favorites since 1959, this institution reopened at the Casablanca Hotel and has been safely welcoming back guests.
• XOXO NYC Bar (336 West 46th St.) – Opened during the pandemic in March 2020.
• Zaman Mediterranean (681 Eighth Ave.) – Opened during the pandemic in November 2020, this fast-casual eatery serves fresh, homemade Mediterranean cuisine with fan favorites like falafel, kebabs, and shawarma.

Thousands of Midtown office workers now expect to return to work by this fall. Bracing for that influx, the city has revealed plans to deploy hundreds of police officers into Midtown to address safety concerns — a measure that met some resistance from local officials amid fears of over-policing.