The Eataly Effect Is Felt on West 23rd Street
Robert Sietsema Artisanal dairy products = rent hikes.
Much as Keith McNally may have inspired landlords in the vicinity of Pulino's to raise their rents, Eataly seems to be giving their West 23rd Street counterparts a few ideas.
Crain's reports that since the Italian food megalith's opening in August, rents within a block or two have increased 15 percent. Its success has also inspired other restaurateurs to make fat-ass footprints on the neighborhood: Schnipper's Quality Kitchen will open a 4,800-square-foot restaurant at 1 Madison Avenue, where it will be joined by a 3,600-square-foot wine bar called Gustavo America.
All of which inspires a sort of weird nostalgia for the days when the length of the Shake Shack line was more or less the only thing to make gastronerds obsess about the neighborhood -- and which was, of course, a big part of why people are swarming 23rd Street for fresh mozzarella today.
Have a tip or restaurant-related news? Send it to fork@villagevoice.com.
Email to Friend
Write to Editor
Print Article
