🚕 US Open Fan Week Serves Up Star Chef Previews

Good Morning NY!

Get ready to unleash your inner artist with a hands-on mural experience in Brooklyn.

One of Prospect Heights’ most beloved restaurants is closing its doors after nearly a decade.

NYC’s bodegas are stepping into the spotlight as affordable, inventive dining destinations.

Vegan ice cream inspired by Vermont creemee tradition has landed in Crown Heights.

And the US Open is serving up a star-studded culinary lineup to match the tennis action.

Plus, a troubling act of vandalism has shaken a Bay Ridge school community.
Let’s jump in.

Beloved Prospect Heights Spot Olmsted to Close This Month

Brooklyn restaurant from chef Greg Baxtrom, is closing its doors on August 17.

The Prospect Heights staple opened in 2016 and quickly earned acclaim for its seasonal cooking and lush backyard garden.

Baxtrom revealed that the decision to close came after a key funding opportunity fell through.

The closure follows the recent shuttering of his other restaurants, Patti Ann’s and Petit Patate.

Baxtrom will continue to run 5 Acres at Rockefeller Center.

He shared that prioritizing sobriety and mental health played a role in stepping back from full-time operations.

Olmsted was known for creative dishes like carrot crepe with clams and frozen yogurt with lavender honey.

Baxtrom hinted at possibly opening a future project in Chicago to be closer to family.

The restaurant leaves behind a legacy of innovation and warmth in the Brooklyn dining scene.

NYC Bodegas Are the City's Hottest New Dining Scene

With restaurant prices surging nearly 30%, NYC’s bodegas are stepping into the culinary spotlight.

Diners are turning to these neighborhood staples for affordable, flavorful, and inventive meals.

In Elmhurst, IndoJava is serving up $15 bowls of lontong mie packed with shrimp paste and chili.

Brooklyn’s Karen Deli hides a Guatemalan kitchen offering pepian de pollo and chuchitos in a speakeasy-style setup.

Jackson Heights' La Esquina Del Camaron Mexicano draws crowds with shrimp and octopus cocktails drenched in secret sauce.

Over in Manhattan, Sunny & Annie’s is still winning hearts with quirky, pho-infused sandwiches under $12.

Vegan favorite Plantega now operates in 50 bodegas citywide, reimagining deli classics like chopped cheese with plant-based meat.

And General Ock’s in Red Hook has gone viral for outrageous creations featuring Pop-Tarts and mozzarella sticks.

Forget white tablecloths—NYC’s next great meal might just come in a takeout bag.

Maple Creamery Brings Vermont-Style Vegan Ice Cream to Crown Heights

Maple Creamery, a new vegan ice cream shop, just opened in Crown Heights on July 26.

You’ll find it at 653 Sterling Place, right off Franklin Avenue.

The shop is inspired by the Vermont “creemee” tradition, but with a plant-based twist.

Founders Collin Whyte and Bailey Rollins source their maple syrup from an 1800s Vermont farm.

The syrup is rich, buttery, and the only sweetener used in their ice cream.

Flavors include maple, matcha lemonade, and strawberry shortcake—all vegan.
In addition to ice cream, the shop also sells cookies and cakes made without dairy or eggs.

Everything is crafted to highlight the flavor of real maple syrup.

It’s a nostalgic, Northeastern treat reimagined for Brooklyn’s dessert scene.

If you're looking for a soft-serve fix that’s dairy-free and naturally sweet, this is your new summer stop.

US Open Fan Week Serves a Preview of Star-Studded Food Lineup

Tennis fans heading to the US Open Fan Week on August 19–20 will get an exclusive first taste of this year’s highly anticipated dining options.

The culinary roster includes a debut from chef Robbie Felice, who will bring his pastaRAMEN concept featuring izakaya-inspired dishes and desserts like zeppoli bao buns.

Simon Kim returns with COQODAQ, offering golden nuggets with caviar and a new fried chicken sandwich.

Other major names include José Andrés with Oyamel, which will serve tacos and tequila cocktails in collaboration with the Dobel Tequila Club.

Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, Alex Guarnaschelli, Kwame Onwuachi, Ed Brown, David Burke, Josh Capon, and Pat LaFrieda will also be cooking across various venues.

Many of these chefs will feature in the exclusive Aces dining hall once the main tournament begins.

Expect world-class food to match world-class tennis.

The US Open is officially serving more than just aces this year.

Vandalism Shocks Bay Ridge Catholic School Community

Overnight vandals targeted Visitation Academy in Bay Ridge, toppling several statues from their pedestals.

Among the damaged pieces was a stone lamb statue that was decapitated during the attack.

Investigators found a bottle of Guinness and a glass candle at the scene, hoping for forensic clues.

The incident occurred just before Easter, heightening concerns about a possible hate crime.

This act follows another recent incident where religious signs were stolen from the school grounds.

The community is shaken by the repeated targeting of this Catholic institution.

Police continue to investigate and urge anyone with information to come forward.

The school and neighborhood hope for swift justice and restoration of the sacred symbols.

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