OPENINGS
Jacob's Pickles, a 150-seat "tavern" that serves artisanal beer and Southern-style comfort food (biscuits, macaroni and cheese and fried pickles) opened earlier this month at 509 Amsterdam Avenue at West 84th Street, the New York Times reported. Early Yelp reviews have been rapturous. "Either this place is really good, or the owner's friends are quite generous," West Side Rag wrote.
Vive La Crepe, which sells sweet and savory crepes, opened earlier this month at 189 Columbus Avenue, between West 68th and 69th streets, West Side Rag reported.
Caffe Storico, the restaurant at the newly renovated New York Historical Society at 170 Central Park West, opened Dec. 10, Eater reported. The Italian eatery, opened by Philadelphia restaurauteur Stephen Starr, has a "large country dining room-like space" with space for about 75 guests.
Hiii-ya! Modern Martial Arts, which offers karate, mixed martial arts, and krav maga classes for kids and adults, opened a new location earlier this month at 103 W. 73rd Street. The self-defense studio also has facilities in TriBeCa, the Upper East Side and Midtown West.
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, an eagerly anticipated California-based coffee shop, officially opened its Upper West Side location at 532 Amsterdam Avenue, near West 86th Street, My Upper West reported.
ON THE HORIZON
Joanne, the restaurant that Lady Gaga's father Joe Germanotta is opening at 70 W. 68th Street, was originally expected to be ready around Thanksgiving, but Chef Art Smith recently said on Twitter that the Italian eatery will now "come January." DNAinfo visited recently and saw a brand new awning and sparkling glassware behind the bar. The restaurant's arrival is one of the most hotly anticipated in the city, Grub Street reported.
Spring Natural Kitchen, a sister restaurant of Soho's Spring Street Natural Restaurant, seems poised to open soon. The restaurant, which will replace the short-lived meatball joint Polpette at 474 Columbus Avenue, recently posted job openings on Craigslist.
The Smith, a restaurant and bar, is expanding to the Upper West Side next summer, My Upper West and the New York Times reported. The Smith will take over 1900 Broadway and West 63rd Street, the space formerly occupied by the now-closed Josephina and Sushi A Go-Go. The Smith also has locations in Midtown and the East Village.
CLOSINGS
After 15 years in business, Gourmet Garage at 2567 Broadway and West 96th Street is closing by the end of December, West Side Rag reported. The store faced a significant rent increase, and was reportedly concerned about competition from the new Westside Market that's set to open on Broadway between West 97th and 98th streets.
For more Openings & Closings news, check out DNAinfo's regular Openings & Closings columns in every Manhattan neighborhood, including the Upper West Side.
