Modern Love, a beloved vegan restaurant in the heart of Williamsburg, has announced it will be closing its doors come June. Opening back in 2016, the Brooklyn spot has been serving up plant-based comfort food for the past eight years but will now be pulling down the shades on its Union Avenue location.
The restaurant's owner, Isa Chandra Moskowitz, discussed the reasons for the closure in a statement obtained by Eater, highlighting how the "business model wasn't working" post-pandemic due to a dependency on delivery and takeout services that struggle to be sustainable for a traditionally sit-down restaurant. The cuts taken by third-party apps were cited as insurmountable, even as sales remained strong. Moskowitz also previously turned to her customers to help cover costs for essential repairs without resorting to a crowdfunding approach.
Fans of Modern Love, like musician Ted Leo expressed their support online, stating the restaurant is "the best and we're here for whatever you do next, my friend." Moskowitz, who first came onto New York's vegan scene with the Post Punk Kitchen cooking show and through influential cookbooks such as 'Vegan with a Vengeance,' is looking to not just end Modern Love but to transform it. She intends to relocate and reinvent the restaurant with a model better fitting the current dining landscape,mas reported by Eater.
According to a post on Modern Love’s Instagram, which was referenced in a report by Greenpointers, the Modern Love team is "already looking for a new space." The possibility of a "new chapter of Modern Love, maybe it'll be something completely different" was teased, hinting at a hopeful future despite the upcoming closure. The announcement also made a point to thank customers who've made the eatery feel like "home" throughout its years of operation.
While the exact date of the restaurant’s final day has not been set in stone, June is expected to be the last month patrons can indulge in Modern Love's menu highlights, such as truffled poutine, oyster mushroom calamari, and homemade cashew olive oil ice cream. Representing much more than a dining spot, Modern Love has stood as a pillar of the vegan community in Brooklyn, serving both food and fellowship to those choosing a plant-based lifestyle.
