UPPER WEST SIDE — This past year brought buzzworthy openings that foodies cheered as reviving the local restaurant scene, as well as closings that had neighbors shaking their heads.
DNAinfo took a look back at some of the noteworthy openings, closings and food news from the neighborhood in 2016.
Bagels and Bakeries
• Zucker's Bagels & Smoked Fish is set to open at 273 Columbus Ave., at West 74th Street, on Monday.
• Kirsh Kitchen and Bakery, a German and French-influenced spot, opened at 551 Amsterdam Ave., at West 87th Street, in April.
• Orwasher's Bakery opened its second Manhattan outpost at 440 Amsterdam Ave., at West 81st Street, in September.
• Bread's Bakery opened at 1890 Broadway, near West 63rd Street, in February with a large roster of baked goods, including an homage to a longtime Upper West Side bakery.
Drinks
• Caledonia, a new bar serving high-end whisky, opened at 424 Amsterdam Ave. between West 80th and 81st streets in November.
• Guyer's, from the former owner of Wine & Roses, opened in the rebranded spot at 286 Columbus Ave. in July.
• Bodega 88, at 573 Columbus Ave. at West 88th Street., opened in August as a sports bar serving Latin food and cocktails.
• Gebhard's Beer Culture, a beer hall with a wide selection of brews, opened at 228 W. 72nd St. in June, West Side Rag reported.
Meat
• April Bloomfield teamed up with butchers Erika Nakamura and Jocelyn Guest to open White Gold Butchers, a restaurant/butcher shop at 375 Amsterdam Ave. at West 78th Street, this November. The shop's specialty is a chopped cheese sandwich, which has been so popular at lunchtime that it's now offered in the last hour of dinner service as well.
• Flame, a Hibachi restaurant from the owners of the now-shuttered Fusha West, opened at 100 West 82nd St. in May.
Pizza and Italian
• Motorino opened at 510 Columbus Ave. in September, according to Eater. The wood-fired pizzeria serves a variety of pies, as well as salads.
• Pizzeria Sirenetta, a new Neopolitan spot from the owners of The Mermaid Inn, opened in February at 568 Amsterdam Ave. between 88th and 89th streets.
Grocery Stores
• Trader Joe's announced in late May it had signed a lease for a space at 670 Columbus Ave., at West 93rd Street, which is expected to open in the first half of 2017.
• Fairway Market filed for bankruptcy in May, but said it would keep all of its New York City stores open. Upper West Siders had a lot of theories about why the brand ran into trouble.
Other Notable Spots
• MexiKosher, a Los Angeles import that serves kosher Mexican food, opened at 100 W. 83rd St. opened in September, according to Eater.
• Zurutto, a ramen spot from the owners of Tenzan, opened at 142 W. 72nd St. between Columbus Avenue and Broadway in August, West Side Rag reported.
• Olma Caviar Boutique & Bar, a caviar bar with another location in the Plaza Food Hall, opened at 420 Amsterdam Ave. in March.
• Mokja, a Korean restaurant with a Bimbimbap burger and traditional curries and barbecue, opened in January at 852 Amsterdam Ave. between West 101st and 102nd streets.
Closings
• Jackson Hole, famous for its humongous burgers, closed its 517 Columbus Ave. outpost in June after 42 years, West Side Rag reported.
• Telepan, the upscale restaurant at 72 West 69th St. that had been a neighborhood staple, closed in May. LIsten to our interview with owner Bill Telepan.
• Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf closed all of its New York City locations in October, including three on the Upper West Side, West Side Rag reported.
A Few to Watch in 2017:
• Maison Pickle will open in mid-January at 2315 Broadway at West 84th Street, the restaurant said. The new spot from the Jacob's Pickles' team, opening in the former Ouest space, will specialize in French Dip and — of course — pickles.
• Sugar Factory, an eatery boasting over-the-top desserts, is renovating its 1991 Broadway space.
• Babeth's Feast, a spot specializing in pre-made food, is gearing up to open at 309 Amsterdam Ave. between West 74th and 75th streets early in the new year.
