A model of this put up initially appeared on October 3, 2025, in Eater and Punch’s e-newsletter Pre Shift, a biweekly e-newsletter for the trade professional that sources first-person accounts from the bar and restaurant world.
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What should you may deliver your favourite, now-closed bar or restaurant again from the lifeless?
Due to our collaboration with Sq., we have been capable of make that dream a actuality. For One Final Shift, our model new occasion collection, we introduced again two beloved New York spots: Fatty Crab, a West Village Malaysian restaurant that impressed a wave Southeast Asian delicacies within the metropolis, and Nitecap, a Decrease East Facet disco-fever dream of a bar that’s beloved by the trade.
The concept for One Final Shift was easy: to have one other probability to deliver again the dishes, drinks, and groups which have influenced the best way we dine and drink right now. We additionally need to know who to celebration with subsequent, so we requested attendees to inform us which bars and eating places they’d deliver again for one night time. Learn on for his or her solutions.
The bar that launched LA’s cocktail revolution. “Positively The Varnish, the legendary speakeasy in downtown LA. Sasha Petraske oversaw the bar. I feel I may need been the primary buyer. It was like a residing historical past, a spot that was from the Nineteen Twenties. Locations like that ought to simply by no means go away.” —Matthew Kang, correspondent, Eater
Nothing beats a neighborhood restaurant. “I’d revive Prime Meats, which was in Carroll Gardens. It had the most effective salads, the most effective burgers, a number of the finest cocktails, and similar to the best neighborhood restaurant ever. I miss the room and the expertise.” —Natasha David, writer, bartender and inventive director
A pioneer of agave spirits within the metropolis. “I need to see Mayahuel again in full motion, please and thanks. It was probably the most inspiring agave bars to open, not solely as a result of it was one of many first agave centered bars in New York Metropolis, however we additionally had essentially the most wonderful, inventive, supportive employees. I wouldn’t be the bartender who I’m with out the women that I labored with at that bar.” —Leanne Favre, proprietor, Dolores
A “dive restaurant” that welcomed everybody. “When opening my first and second eating places [5 Ninth and Fatty Crab], I spent fairly a little bit of time within the hood. Inevitably, most nights ended on the iconic Florent. I beloved having the ability to get bistro fare or breakfast at 4 within the morning, with an insanely eclectic mixture of patrons, from attorneys to trade people to all types of locals. What made the place was the vibe, total expertise, and the employees. And the meals was superb! For lack of a greater time period, I’d name it a dive restaurant.” —Rick Camac, managing companion, RDC Hospitality Consultants LLC
The disco-fueled bar we miss dearly. “I’d revive Nitecap. That they had the proper trifecta that each bar ought to have: good drinks, good ambiance, wonderful bar group. I miss it dearly. I’ve the most effective recollections from there, they usually had the most effective disco ball, too. RIP.” —Chloe Frechette, former govt editor, Punch
Don’t overlook the desserts. “I’d revive WD50 for Alex Stupak’s dessert menu, particularly. It was completely out of this world. WD50 was very conceptual. It was tremendous bizarre meals, so the dessert menu was additionally very bizarre, however not that difficult as a result of it was like chocolate and all types of fruit and it was simply fantastic. You could possibly do a five-course dessert tasting menu. It was unbelievable. Now he’s gone on to do all types of issues. However I really feel like that’s the second I miss in eating places.” —Amanda Kludt, former writer, Eater
A trailblazer in bicoastal delicacies. “Chanterelle. It was one of many locations that marked the start of ‘foodieism’ and it simply felt so particular, but additionally informal, and it felt familial. There was numerous room within the area, actual property was low cost, and so it felt like there was all this creativity and cross-pollination with California-style cooking in New York in a manner that felt recent and new.” —Melissa McCart, eating editorial supervisor, Northeast, Eater
A bar that would make you fall in love with bars. “I’d deliver again NoMad. Greater than something, I miss the ambiance. It’s only a stunning bar and it feels such as you’re taking a step again in time—a grand, opulent place which you could stroll into and is all the time so stunning. It was probably the most formative locations, and it made me fall in love with bars.” —Jelani Johnson, head bartender, Le Coucou
Interviews have been edited for size and readability.
