Brooklyn bistro Chez Ma Tante’s Jake Leiber reportedly signed a 4,437-square-foot ground-floor lease at 555 Greenwich Street in Hudson Square, NY Post reports. It’s new construction (finished in 2023) with a history: The 6.5-million-square-foot Hudson Square Portfolio is made up of 13 buildings, including 555 Greenwich, and sits on land originally bestowed to New York City’s Trinity Church in 1705 by Queen Anne of Great Britain. The area was later home to the city’s printing industry. The original Chez Ma Tante, open since 2017, closed in January 2024 for structural repairs to the Greenpoint building and reopened in July 2024. Eater reached out to find out more about what’s slated for the Greenwich Street address.
Will Banana Republic open a restaurant?
Emily Sundberg reported on the Banana, a speakeasy in the back of Soho’s flagship Banana Republic store at 552 Broadway, between Prince and Spring streets. The space is part of the two-story, 17,000-square-foot store that reopened in June 2024. A staffer confirms that it’s only open for events, but when it is, the vibe is “inspired by the cheerful spirit of Irish gatherings.” The speakeasy-slash-event space is part of shops creating more interactive experiences like bars or restaurants in places like Members Only, Printemps, and more.
A neighborhood steakhouse is closing
Gus’s last service in Brooklyn will be Saturday, December 31, the restaurant announced on Instagram. Located at 215 Union Street in Carroll Gardens, Gus’s started by Chris McDade and Popina’s James O’Brien (which is now owned by McDade) as an approachable neighborhood steakhouse serving dishes like hash browns with trout roe and chicken a la plancha; it transitioned to a menu that includes pasta.
