A cloud of uncertainty no longer hangs over Papaya King, as developers’ plan to demolish its building move forward. The 90-year-old Upper East Side institution will be departing its longtime location at the corner of East 86th Street and Third Avenue in the coming days, Upper East Site has confirmed, but will also be making a short move to a new location, saving the legendary hot dog purveyor from permanent closure. [UPDATE 4/3: Papaya King’s original location has closed]
Upper East Site has learned that Papaya King will be relocating across the street, to the opposite side of Third Avenue, between the entrance to Bond Vet and The Dalton School Athletic Center — part of the space that was formerly home to Modell’s.
ALSO READ | Grubhub Offered Free Food, Then Made Elderly & Disabled UES Residents Stand and Wait… and Wait… and Wait…
While you won’t find any signage on the exterior on the new Papaya King located at 1535 Third Avenue, between East 86th and 87th Streets, inside the the much larger restaurant space, the walls have been painted bright yellow — the brand’s signature color —and feature murals that include great inventions from 1932, such as Fritos, Mentos, Mars and, of course, Papaya King.
Another mural by the entrance is adorned with black and white photos of the original location at 179 East 86th Street, as well as the message ‘Papaya King has been here since 1932,’ emphasizing its local roots, slinging frankfurters and tropical drinks to generations of Upper East Side residents.
The move comes after a court battle with mega-developer Extell, who purchased the property, along with three other now-vacant storefronts — formerly The Children’s Place, Cohen’s Fashion Optical and Wrap n’ Roll Grill — and filed plans to demolish them last summer.
ALSO READ | The Food Emporium Permanently Closes UES Supermarket
Extell has not indicated what it plans to build at the site.
For Papaya King, the move across the street is a rebirth and a chance to build a new legend, in bigger a store, at the same Upper East Side intersection that made the shop famous.
While a grand opening date has not yet been set, Papaya King is expected to formally make the move across the street to its new digs within the next week, Upper East Site has confirmed.
So be sure to stop by to check it out, because in food, just like fashion, what’s old is new once again.
