A Favorite Columbia Hangout Shutters on the Upper West Side — And More Closings

More than one year after New York’s first indoor dining shutdown, restaurants and bars continue to close their doors. At least 1,000 have closed since March 2020 due to the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Due to the difficulty of tracking restaurant and bar closings right now, experts say that number could be even higher, and will likely take months or even years to assess.

Among them are newer neighborhood favorites like Uncle Boons and MeMe’s diner, along with decades-old institutions including 21 Club, Fedora, and Frank’s Cocktail Lounge. Below, Eater is documenting the city’s permanent restaurant closures so far. If a restaurant or bar has closed in your neighborhood, let us know at [email protected]. This post will be updated regularly.

August 27

East Village: Even though it was a tiny nook of a space, Tea Drunk was big on ambition and became a destination for serious tea drinkers across the city. It specialized in a quality selection of Chinese teas and the serene, simply decorated space was a perfect backdrop for many classes, tastings, and afternoon hangouts. The shop has closed after eight years, but according an Instagram announcement, fans can expect future collaborations.

Upper West Side: This Korean restaurant has been a popular mainstay near the Columbia University campus since 1986 for its classic preparations of dishes like bibimbap, kimchi fried rice, and seafood pancakes. The Mill officially closed in mid-August, the restaurant confirmed via email with Eater. It was one of the early Korean restaurants to open outside of Manhattan’s Koreatown, and when it took over the former Mill Luncheonette, the menu even offered egg creams. It became known as a neighborhood spot for its comforting Korean fare, however.

Upper West Side: In the Before Times, this Upper West Side spot was a late-night spot for greasy burgers and pizzas. Big Nick’s Burger & Pizza Joint Too was also one of the rare establishments to stay open 24 hours a day. While it never kept those hours during the pandemic, it had a loyal following amongst locals even through different ownership changes over the years before its recent shuttering.

August 20

Elmhurst: There’s no shortage of NYC restaurants specializing in Northern Thai food these days, but one of the best was Lamoon Thai, which announced its closing over Instagram. Whether it was the curry-based khao saoi or the chile-laced nam giaw (a fiery soup featuring pork ribs), diners would go to this Queens spot to seek out dishes beyond the typical Thai takeout fare. Owned and operated by Arada Moonroj, the establishment recently made Eater’s list of best Thai restaurants in the city.

Lower East Side: The Bun Hut took over the former space of Colors just a few months into the pandemic and has now closed for good, Bowery Boogie reports. The casual spot served a fusion menu of items such as Chinese bao with Caribbean ingredients. According to a post on the Bun Hut’s Instagram account, ownership will be relocating the restaurant to an yet-to-be-disclosed new location.

West Village: The controversial yogurt-based guacamole was nowhere in sight when Antoni Porowski, the culinary maven on Netflix’s Queer Eye, opened the Village Den. Three years later, the fast-casual spot has shuttered after serving up a menu — that was vegan, paleo, and gluten-free friendly — which Eater critic Robert Sietsema said needed some work.