Each month, we get a preview of new restaurants opening on the Upper East Side as they go before Community Board 8’s street life committee, seeking a recommendation for a liquor license. At Tuesday night’s meeting, we learned a longtime UES movie theater plans to start serving beer and wine with their popcorn and candy, while several other spots— from seafood to Italian to tacos— are set to open their doors in the coming months.
Caviar Kaspia at The Mark
A representative for Caviar Kaspia— which Upper East Site reported last month would be opening inside The Mark Hotel at 25 East 77th Street— revealed to the committee the restaurant would seat 60 people and it’s official name would be Caviar Kaspia at The Mark.
The new restaurant and boutique offshoot of the famous celebrity hotspot in Paris known to be a favorite of Beyonce and Jay-Z. Read more about Caviar Kaspia at The Mark here.
Taco Zone
Welcome to the zone. Taco Zone is coming to 1750 First Avenue, between East 90th and 91st Streets. It’s a second location for the authentic Mexican restaurant founded in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.
Half of the double-storefront space will be used for the dining room, while the other half would house the kitchen and a small, eight seat bar, a Taco Zone representative told the committee. Hours will be from noon to midnight seven days a week.
Upper East Site has also learned Taco Zone will serve a full vegan menu in addition to the usual meat-based dishes, just like the original restaurant. It’s not clear whether they’re bringing the live mariachi music to the UES as well. Stay tuned.
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Campagnola
Restauranteur Curt Huegel told the Street Life committee his popular Upper East Side Italian restaurant Campagnola, located at 1382 First Avenue, would be moving to a new space after being unable to reach an agreement with his current landlord.
The new restaurant will be opening at 1456 First Avenue, near the corner of East 76th Street, in a storefront that was formerly home to a yoga studio.
Campagnola is a UES fixture, having served the neighborhood for nearly 40 years. The restaurant made news earlier this year after hosting former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin after she tested positive for Covid.
1572 Second Avenue
A storefront on Second Avenue that’s been boarded up for more than three years will finally be getting a tenant and it’s one that is sure to be a welcome addition to the dining UES scene.
Chef Rocco Sacramone, the owner of the popular Queens restaurant Trattoria L’Incontro, is bringing his classic Italian fare to Yorkville.
Seating 60 diners, the yet-to-be-named establishment will also feature a five seat bar, a representative told the committee. Hours will be from 5:00 pm to 11:00 pm Tuesday through Sunday.
You might remember Sacramone went viral in December 2020 after posting a video dining with his staff outdoors at his empty Astoria restaurant during a snowstorm.
ALSO READ | Beyonce’s Favorite Paris Restaurant Opening New Upper East Side Location
AMC Orpheum 7
The longtime UES movie theater located at 1538 Third Avenue, between East 86th and 87th Streets, is looking to add beer and wine to its menu as parter of a broader push by the AMC chain to convert all its theaters, a representative said.
Those plans were nearly derailed by two Community Board members with strong opinions and unusual demands, but in the end were approved.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, a Bloomingdales representative explained that the company was seeking to move its liquor license for nearly all the establishments within the department store to an affiliated company, Novel Spirits LLC.
Their application was approved.
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