Sushi Bar, Mexican Spot Among Upper East Side's New Restaurants

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — A multi-level sushi bar replacing a French bistro and a Mexican eatery moving in on York Avenue are among a set of four new restaurants coming to the Upper East Side.

The new restaurants were presented on Tuesday to Community Board 8's street life committee as their owners sought the board's approval to obtain alcohol licenses.

They come on top of at least 16 other new restaurants and bars that Patch reported on last month and in May as the industry aims to bounce back from the existential threat of the pandemic.

Here's a rundown of the new businesses we learned about this week:

Bar Penelope (1022 Madison Ave., on East 79th Street)

• Moving into the corner space once home to Nectar Cafe, this coffee and drinks bar is a project of the owners of Serafina: the popular Italian space that occupies much of the same building. The group also owns a nearby pizza shop on Lexington Avenue and Serafina Always on East 61st Street.
• The small spot was described by a representative as a "Roman-style cafe" that will offer pastries, desserts, sandwiches and paninis, bar snacks and salads, besides the beverages.
• The 400-square-foot space will seat 16 people inside as well as 14 people on a sidewalk cafe.

Calabrije's Margaritas and Tacos (1619 York Ave., between East 85nd and 86th streets)

• Calabrije's appears to be an outpost of the Bushwick eatery of the same name, and will replace shuttered Ko Sushi. The menu includes standard Mexican fare like tacos, quesadillas, Nachos and off-the-cob corn, as well as a long list of flavored margaritas and some beer and wine.
• It will be open during lunch and dinner hours, as late as 11 p.m. every day except Sunday.

Hiramasa (1312 Madison Ave., between East 92nd and 93rd streets)

• This sushi bar will occupy the space formerly occupied by Bistro Du Nord and Le Paris Bistrot. Its owner is Michel Mroue, who also owns two other restaurants on the same block: Vicolina and Mercato Rustico.
• Each of the restaurant's two floors will have its own sushi bar, and there will be indoor tables seating about 29 customers plus a small amount of outdoor seating. The chef was hired from a Michelin-starred restaurant, Mroue told the board.
• The board reacted warmly to the new spot, but Lo van der Valk, representing the group Carnegie Hill Neighbors, chimed in to lodge "a very serious objection" against the large awning that Mroue had installed, arguing that it was against city code.

Unnamed Pub (1154 First Ave., between East 63rd and 64th streets)

• Though it was listed under an LLC called "American Pizza," a representative clarified that the name stemmed from the owner's previous business and that pizza would not be the focus at this restaurant, which is replacing the Spotted Dog.
• Instead, it will serve standard pub fare, with a menu looking much like its predecessor's, the representative said. The pub will be open from noon to 4 a.m. every day, seating 24 people on six tables, plus a 16-seat bar.
• Board members expressed some concerns about the late closing time, as well as the owner's intention to host occasional karaoke nights.

It was unclear when any of the new businesses expected to open.

Other new restaurants planned on the Upper East Side include Flex Mussels, a seafood spot replacing the beloved Turkish spot Beyoglu on Third Avenue; a speakeasy-style bar on East 84th Street; and a bar in the former Two Little Red Hens Bakery space.

More Upper East Side new restaurant coverage:

• Here Are 8 More Restaurants Coming To The Upper East Side
• These New Restaurants Are Coming To The Upper East Side