A Smash House is opening at Barclays Center
Smash House Burgers is bringing kosher food to Barclays Center, where it will operate during Brooklyn Nets games, New York Liberty games and non-Shabbat concerts. The stand will have its own dedicated kosher kitchen, allowing burgers and other food to be prepared fresh at the arena rather than being brought in from elsewhere. The company will also offer kosher buffets in some of the arena’s lounges.
The menu will feature Smash House favorites including its signature smashed burgers, crispy chicken sandwiches, popcorn chicken, chicken tenders and fries. The company is also planning some fun extras, including food bags containing “Golden Tickets” that can be redeemed for signed jerseys.
The Barclays Center stand will be Smash House’s second part-time location, in addition to a seasonal one upstate. Those two locations are in addition to the company’s 10 full-time restaurants spread across four states. For more information about Smash House and its regular locations, visit smashhouseburgers.com.
Garden City PopUp Bagels
PopUp Bagels is opening a new location in Garden City on Friday, September 25, continuing the brand’s expansion on Long Island. The new shop will operate under the same kosher arrangement as the previously reported kosher PopUp Bagels location.
PopUp has a somewhat different approach to eating a bagel. The bagels are served hot and whole, with customers encouraged to “Grip, Rip and Dip” — tear pieces off the bagel and dip them into a cup of schmear rather than having the bagel sliced and spread. At the Garden City location, all of the bagels are kosher, while only the regular and scallion cream cheeses are certified kosher. The other schmears are not covered by the certification.
PopUp Bagels is located at 900 Old Country Road. Hours are Monday through Sunday, 7 am to 4 pm, under National Kosher Supervision. For more information, visit popupbagels.com.
Manhattan Viva La Dough
Viva La Dough has opened another Manhattan location at 525 7th Avenue, between 38th and 39th Streets. It is the brand’s second Manhattan location, joining its other locations in Brooklyn and Lakewood. Another location is also planned for the American Dream Mall.
Viva La Dough specializes in French-inspired dairy café fare, with its signature croissant pizzas, croffles, pastries and desserts joined by sandwiches, salads, omelets and specialty coffee. The concept began as a seasonal pop-up outside Macy’s Herald Square and has grown into a multi-location business.
Viva La Dough is located at 525 7th Avenue. The locations are Kosher Dairy and Cholov Yisroel. The new location is open Sunday through Thursday from 8 am to 10 am and Friday from 8 am to 4 pm. For more information, visit vivaladough.com.
Crown Heights Spendid Café
Splendid Café and Pastry has opened on Kingston Avenue in Crown Heights. The dairy café and bakery is owned by Crown Heights residents Kuti and Etti Allouche, with Etti bringing years of experience as a professional baker, pastry consultant and baking instructor. Before opening the storefront, she operated from home under the name “The Cookie Lady.”
The menu includes coffee, pastries, cakes and desserts, with baked goods also available for Shabbos. Among the specialties are French macarons, mini tarts, cheesecake, apple pie, rugelach, chocolate kokosh and a variety of cookies. The café also serves espresso drinks including cappuccinos, lattes, flat whites and macchiatos.
Splendid Café and Pastry is located at 257 Kingston Avenue, certified kosher by CHK Crown Heights Kashrus. Hours are Sunday through Thursday, 8 am to 5 am, Friday 8 am to 1 am, and closed Saturday. For more information, call 347-622-4557 or visit splendidpastries.com.
Acai Bar Cafe on UWS
Acai Bar Cafe has opened a new location inside Six60One on Amsterdam Avenue on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. The new shop gives the neighborhood another option for a quick breakfast, snack or meal centered around açaí and other fruit-based offerings.
The menu features a variety of açaí bowls, including classic and tropical combinations, along with smoothies, fresh juices and other lighter options. The brand has already established locations in Brooklyn, Monsey and the Catskills, making the Upper West Side its latest expansion into a growing New York market.
Acai Bar Cafe is located inside Six60One at 661 Amsterdam Avenue. For more information, visit acaibar.cafe.
Turnpike Burgers Grill Expanding in Queens
Turnpike Burgers Grill has temporarily closed as the family-owned restaurant undergoes a major expansion and renovation. Operated by the Leviev family, the restaurant has been serving the community for about seven years.
Last year, Turnpike Burgers leased the two neighboring storefronts, and just before Rosh Hashana, the finally closed so crews could begin knocking down the walls connecting the spaces. When the project is finished, the restaurant will have a larger kitchen, additional prep space and significantly more indoor seating. The restaurant expects to reopen after the holidays, around mid-October.
Turnpike Burgers serves a variety of Glatt kosher fast-food favorites, including burgers, sandwiches, wraps, wings, fried chicken and other casual fare. The expansion should give the restaurant considerably more room to handle the crowds that have made it a popular option in the Queens kosher scene.
Turnpike Burgers Grill is located at 147-41 Union Turnpike, under the Vaad Harabonim of Queens. For more information, call 347-494-4000 or visit turnpikeburgergrill.com.
Greenwich & Delancey moves
Greenwich & Delancey has closed its longtime Cos Cob location and is preparing for a move that will keep the restaurant closed for approximately a year. The restaurant, known for chef David Teyf’s pastrami, brisket, babka and other Jewish-inspired fare, expects to reopen at a new location in Fall 2027. The new address has not yet been announced, but catering remains available throughout Fairfield County. Greenwich & Delancey under OU supervision. More information is available at greenwichanddelancey.com.
L’Chaim Stamford Closes
In other Connecticut news, L’Chaim of Stamford has closed its doors at 59 High Ridge Road after two years in business. The Israeli/Middle Eastern restaurant served falafel, sabich, shawarma, schnitzel, grilled meats and other Israeli favorites. The restaurant had operated under the Va’ad Hakashrut of Fairfield County.
Pitmaster coming to Miami
Pitmaster, the extremely popular Israeli meat experience that has multiple locations throughout Israel, is finally coming to the United States. The Miami location begins its soft opening on October 5, and reservations are already booked for the first couple of weeks. The concept has developed a major following in Israel, where its combination of live-fire cooking and a communal dining experience has made it considerably more than a typical steakhouse.
Pitmaster is essentially a meat show. Guests sit together while a Pitmaster cooks and carves huge cuts of meat over live fire, with multiple meat courses served throughout the meal along with sides, drinks and dessert. The menu changes depending on what is being prepared, and the cooking itself is part of the entertainment. The Miami restaurant is expected to bring the same format to American diners.
The Miami location is at 3599 NE 207th Street in Aventura. The New York location is planned for 27 West 24th Street in Manhattan and is expected to open sometime in 2027. Reservations for Miami can be made at go.pitmaster.show/miami, while more information about the concept and its Israeli locations is available at pitmaster.show.
Fire Damages Hot Bagels in Fair Lawn
An early-morning fire caused moderate damage to Hot Bagels in Fair Lawn on Sept. 15. A worker arriving to open the shop at 3:23 am discovered heavy smoke and immediately called 911. Fire officials quickly arrived and called for a full first-alarm assignment, bringing approximately 35 firefighters from all four Fair Lawn fire companies, along with police, EMS and other emergency personnel.
Firefighters found flames extending into the walls and ceiling and had to open the walls to extinguish the fire. The blaze was under control within about 10 minutes, and everyone was able to leave the scene by 5 am No injuries were reported, but both Hot Bagels and the neighboring business sustained moderate damage. The Fair Lawn Fire Prevention Bureau is investigating the cause. Fire officials specifically credited the worker’s early arrival and quick 911 call with preventing the fire from becoming much worse.
At press time, Hot Bagels remains closed following the fire. The store is located at 6-07 Saddle River Road and is under RCBC supervision, but only uncut bagels are covered by the kosher certification. The phone number is 201-796-9625.
Cuvée Wines & Spirits Opens in Spring Valley
Cuvée Wines & Spirits has opened at the Spring Valley Marketplace, giving Rockland County another dedicated destination for wine and spirits. The store focuses heavily on wine, with a selection designed to appeal to both people looking for everyday bottles and those seeking something more specialized. Customers can also order online for pickup or local delivery.
The store’s online selection includes wines from a wide range of regions and producers, along with spirits and rotating specials. Cuvée also offers local delivery to residences and ships wine to New York and a limited number of other states.
Cuvée Wines & Spirits is located at 6-7 Spring Valley Marketplace. The phone number is 845-282-8088. Hours are Sunday 12-7 am, Monday through Thursday 10 am-9 am, and Friday 10 am-3 pm. More information is available at cuvee.wine.
