New York City

Food & Drink

What's Still Open and What's Closed Amid Hurricane Sandy

By DNAinfo Staff on October 29, 2012 12:01pm

Slideshow

NEW YORK CITY — Just because the monster Hurricane Sandy is bearing down on New York City, it doesn't mean that you have to go hungry, thirsty, or without other essential supplies.

Here's a guide as to what's open and closed in the Big Apple during as the storm bears down.

OPEN:

Many restaurants were open around the five boroughs Monday morning and many were available through Seamless.

Among those serving up goodies is Katz's Deli, at 205 East Houston St., near Ludlow St. Worker Krystal Figueroa said that the famed Jewish deli will be serving up its gut-busting fare until the weather becomes too much to handle.

"Until it starts flooding, we're going to be open," she said.

The wholesale worker said that she took a cab into work and didn't mind braving the early part of the storm.

"I just hope it's not bad on the way out," she said.

Several other restaurants were open through Seamless web, although the popular online delivery service cautioned that some eateries may appear to be open on the site, but are actually closed.

According to a message posted on the service's blog, some restaurants might be inundated with orders and yet understaffed, raising the chances that your order might be canceled.

At the iconic Tom's Restaurant on the Upper West Side, manager Mike Zoulis said he planned to stay open until 10 or 11 p.m., and brushed off the doomsday predictions.

"I don't know if it's going to hit full force," said Zoulis, who described business as brisk. "Sometimes they [newscasters, city officials] go overboard. I don't think we're all going to get blown away, are we?"

Zoulis said that he paid for cabs for many of his employees and even picked up some in The Bronx when he drove in from Westchester.

Nick Assardo, 20 a film student at Hunter College who was eating a plate of sausage and eggs there, said he was not that worried about the storm.

"I'm no too worried," he said. "I come from Minnesota where blizzards happen every year."

Tom's Restaurant at 782 Washington Ave. in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, was planning to stay open until its normal closing time of 4 p.m. Monday and a few patrons braved the weather to enjoy the fare.

The manager, who did not want to be named, said the eatery plans to remain open "as long as the lights are on — until 4 o'clock."

At the Olde Brooklyn Bagel shop, which is normally jammed, patrons were actually able to get a seat.

"This place is always packed full of people, this is the only time I've ever been here and sit down without having to wait for a table," said Tamara Edwards, 51, who was enjoying an everything bagel with lox while reading the paper.

Those looking to imbibe or party the storm away may also find that local bars and wine sellers are staying open.

Blanc & Rouge wine shop at 81 Washington St. in DUMBO was planning to keep its doors open "until things get really bad," according to manager Paul Boyer.

"Yesterday was a madhouse in the wine shop," he said. "Today is calmer but neighbors are still straggling by for last-minute bottles of wine."

Harefield Road bar at 769 Metropolitan Ave., in East Williamsburg was set to stay open from noon to 4 a.m. "If the storm comes, we drink," said one staffer as he prepared to open up shop.

And a defiant Pete's Ale House, at 155 Atlantic Ave. in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn hung a sign in the door asking "What hurricane?"

Another sign at the watering hole, which was serving up a Hurricane Rum Punch said: "Yes we're open Monday, bring on the hurricane."

Some grocery stores were also open Monday. All D'Agostino locations around the five boroughs were open in the morning, but it was not clear how long they would stay open, according to a customer service representative who did not want to be named.

In Bushwick, the C-Town at 80 Wyckoff Ave. planned to be open as long as possible Monday, despite selling out of eggs, milk, water and bread.

All seven Whole Foods locations throughout the city were shuttered because of the lack of subway service.

We do plan to be closed in [Monday] morning to protect the safety of our Team Members... however, with the hopes that Hurricane Sandy is kinder than expected, we'll get up, running and open as soon as we can," read a message on the chain's Facebook page. "Check here on Facebook for further updates. Be safe all!"

Several Associated Supermarket grocery stores were open Monday morning as well. A man who answered the phone in the location at 255 W. 14th St. said the market was going to be open until 10 p.m., but closing times at 409 E. 14th St. in the East Village and 2444 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd. in Harlem were uncertain.

For those looking to pick up last-minute supplies at hardware stores to prepare their homes for the storm, several Home Depot locations were open.

The location at 980 Third Ave., near 59th Street, in Manhattan, was planning to stay open until 5 p.m.

A worker there said by phone that while the store was out of sandbags and generators, it was pretty well stocked with everything else.

Residents were mainly coming in for flashlights, she said. "A lot of people that live over here are coming out," she added. "People were doing their regular shopping."

The Home Depot at 585 DeKalb Ave. in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, was also serving customers as of Monday morning, but it was not clear how long the doors would say open, a worker said.

Most locations, with the exception of those in the evacuation zone, planned to stay open until 10 p.m., but the determination would be made based on the safety of the workers, according to spokeswoman Jennifer King.

Getting around might be tough without the subway but car service companies may be around even if the cabs aren't.

Delancey Car Service was up and running in the East Village. Its 300 drivers have made about 700 trips since the trains shut down at 7 p.m., according to senior dispatcher Michael Ramirez.

"The community needs us. There is no mass transit," he said. "People need to go to the hospital. People need to go to work."

Still, the decision about wheter or not to drive was left to his drivers.

CLOSED/CANCELED:

School's out for New York City public school students Monday and Tuesday.
Starbucks stores around the city will be closed during the storm.
Two hospitals were evacuated but the city's public emergency rooms remained open Monday.
The Journey show at the Barclays Center scheduled for Tues. Oct. 30 has been canceled. Pat Benetar, Neil Giraldo and Loverboy were set to join the "Don't Stop Believin'" strummers as special guests. Online and phone credit card purchases will be automatically refunded and other orders will be refunded at the point of purchase, a spokeswoman said.

The New York Stock Exchange took the rare step of not only closing its headquarters in lower Manhattan, but suspending all trading Monday. "We support the consensus of the markets and the regulatory community that the dangerous conditions developing as a result of Hurricane Sandy will make it extremely difficult to ensure the safety of our people and communities, and safety must be our first priority," the exchange said in a statement on its site. "We will work with the industry to determine the next steps in restoring trading as soon as the situation permits." The closure may even stretch into Tuesday if conditions do not improve.
City libraries are closed as are the courts, except for arraignments and emergency applications.
Alternate side of the street parking rules are suspended.

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