BEDFORD-STUYVESANT — The co-owner of Nostrand Avenue’s Civil Service Café is opening a new diner on the eastern side of Bedford-Stuyvesant this spring.
The Trade Union Café, a diner and espresso bar, held its soft opening at 346 Malcolm X Blvd. near Bainbridge Street on Tuesday, according to owner Ayo Balogun.
“We need more food in the neighborhood, not pretentious food — decent food that’s approachable,” Balogun, 37, said.
Trade Union will have “proper diner fare” with a modern twist and seasonal produce, he added.
The diner has an interim menu for the soft opening, featuring items like egg sandwiches, steak sandwiches and grits, and it also serves single-origin coffee.
READ MORE: Gourmet Sandwich Shop Joins Slew of New Businesses Along Malcolm X Blvd.
In about a month, the “full-blown diner menu” is set to have a selection that includes chicken and pancakes, biscuits and gravy, beef short rib hash, trout and eggs, shrimp and grits, soups, salads and more, and will feature Brooklyn-based Filfil Food’s hot sauce.
The roughly 1,200-square-foot space is expected to be open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., Balogun said, with seating for more than 40 people.
Trade Union will also host art openings throughout the year, with a rotation selection of artists coming in to paint a large mural on one of the diner’s interior walls.
