ROOSEVELT ISLAND — The island is getting its only Mexican restaurant next summer, just in time for the opening of Cornell Tech's new campus.
Though details of the new restaurant, dubbed Onda, at 548 Main St. are still up in the air, the idea is to bring authentic, rustic Mexican fare to the stretch by the time the Cornell Tech campus opens in summer 2017, according to Kelly Magee, a spokeswoman for Hudson Related Retail — a joint venture between the Hudson Companies and Related Companies which manages the space.
D&D Restaurant Group recently signed a lease for the 2,000-square-foot space on Main Street, a sleepy corridor with only a couple of other restaurants including a Subway sandwich store and China 1 Kitchen. The Trellis Diner is still closed.
"This restaurant will not only serve the existing residents of Roosevelt Island, but also the incoming students and faculty of the Cornell Tech Campus," said Alexandra Kaplan, the associate project manager at the Hudson Companies.
“We are excited to help meet the desire of Roosevelt Island residents for more sit-down dining establishments and a wider diversity of food options," he added.
D&D Restaurant Group did not immediately return a request for more information.
Onda joins another eatery in the works at nearby 503 Main St., a new cafe and juice bar being opened by the owners of two other Main Street businesses: Wholesome Factory, and Island Wine and Spirits.
"We are thrilled that another restaurant will soon open on Main Street, which has reestablished itself as the heart and soul of Roosevelt Island," said Susan Rosenthal, president and CEO of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC), which owns the building at 548 Main St.
