Chef Flynn McGarry is gearing up to close his Lower East Side establishment, Gem Wine, towards the end of this month. The acclaimed chef's decision comes ahead of an expected change in his operations, as Gem Wine's offerings will transition to McGarry's adjacent venue, Gem Home, beginning April 3. Gem Home, which previously functioned partly as a café and partly as a fine grocer, will take on a new role by serving dinner, challenging the previously maintained distinction between restaurant and café, Grubstreet reported.
According to McGarry, "It's becoming incredibly difficult to create this line between restaurant, wine bar, café, whatever. And I think that has sort of happened with Gem Wine," he told Grubstreet. He also noted that the concept was never meant to operate without the original Gem, highlighting the challenges of running a space that is perceived as both a social spot and a fine dining venue. Before the closing, a weeklong series of collaborative events is set to send off Gem Wine, featuring guest chefs and wine purveyors like Mon Lapin's Marc-Olivier Frappier and Jessica Noël, and wine importer Zev Rovine, among others.
As Gem Wine prepares to close its doors with a significant send-off event, the spotlight also turns to McGarry's upcoming culinary venture, Cove, which is slated to open this fall in Hudson Square. Cove represents a new direction for McGarry, as it will be a larger and more ambitious undertaking compared to his cozy LES eateries, per Eater. Details regarding Cove's concept and offerings remain under wraps, though McGarry has expressed his excitement for creating two different spaces providing distinct experiences.
The soon-to-be-shuttered Gem Wine will have its wine cellar contents distributed between McGarry's other ventures, with premium bottles set aside for Cove and more casual selections transitioning to Gem Home. "We have a 15-year lease, and we're building it once," McGarry has said of Cove's long-term establishment plans, "I don't need two restaurants in downtown New York that serve the same thing," he explained, as detailed by the Grubstreet.
In the interim, foodies can look forward to several upcoming events along the Williamsburg waterfront, where a variety of culinary projects are on the horizon. Israeli chef Eyal Shani is expected to open a new 4,000-square-foot restaurant in the mixed-use development Williamsburg Wharf later this year. Shani, noted for his Michelin-starred Shmoné and several other ventures, joins an expanding list of gastronomic offerings in the increasingly popular Brooklyn locale. The details for Shani's new establishment remain sparse, according to Eater.
