PARK SLOPE — A wine bar with a Turkish twist is coming soon to Fifth Avenue.
Pierre Loti, which has locations in Chelsea, Midtown and Union Square, is set to open its first Brooklyn branch at 78 Fifth Ave., between St. Marks and Prospect Place, owner Orhan Cakir said.
The space was formerly occupied by Canaille wine bar, which closed in March, Here's Park Slope reported.
Cakir said he had been looking to expand his growing wine bar empire to Hell's Kitchen, but when the Fifth Avenue space became available, he made his first-ever trip to Park Slope — despite living in New York for 16 years, he said.
It was love at first sight. "It's a beautiful place — I love the area," Cakir said.
Pierre Loti is named after the pen name of the French novelist who traveled extensively in Turkey, Cakir's home country. The novelist, whose real name was Louis-Marie-Julien Viaud, spent so much time there that a neighborhood in Istanbul is named after him.
Pierre Loti's Park Slope location will serve about 40 wines, as well as cocktails and "Mediterranean tapas with a Turkish touch," Cakir said. Dishes at Pierre Loti's other locations include lebni, hummus, grilled octopus and lentil patties. The new outpost will also host wine tastings.
Pierre Loti's Fifth Avenue location won initial approval for its liquor license from Community Board 6's permits committe on Monday night. Cakir hopes to have the wine bar open by June.
