Ayat, the Palestinian restaurant group behind several much-discussed Brooklyn spots, is getting ready to move into 941 Amsterdam Avenue, the longtime corner home of Mama’s Pizza. The new Upper West Side location will be branded as Ayat – Hinds Hall, and the news has already kicked up a storm of debate among neighbors, Columbia students and loyal slice fans. For many locals, the change feels like a turning point for a corner that has helped define the block for decades.
As reported by I Love the Upper West Side, Ayat confirmed on Instagram that the Amsterdam Avenue spot will carry the Hinds Hall name and that the restaurant views this site as its final new New York City outpost. The same post promised the location is “opening very soon,” though no official date has been announced.
The storefront at 941 Amsterdam had been occupied by Mama’s Pizza for more than 20 years before the family left last year, citing needed repairs and utility issues, according to to relocate after 20 years. The Tuttolomondo family continues to run nearby favorite Mama’s Too and has said it hopes to secure a permanent new pizzeria location in the same neighborhood.
Owner Abdul Elenani told neighborhood press that he chose this particular block partly because of Columbia University’s vocal pro-Palestinian activism and the student support he believes it signals, and he said he expects both fans and critics at the new spot, according to Patch. Elenani has also said Ayat’s political stance has brought harassment and waves of negative online reviews at prior openings, and he describes the restaurant as a space for remembrance and solidarity with Palestinians.
Why the Hinds Hall Name Matters
As the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported, the Hinds Hall name references Hind Rajab, a Palestinian child whose widely publicized death drew global attention, and it echoes the temporary renaming of Columbia’s Hamilton Hall by student protesters. That direct nod to campus demonstrations has made the announcement politically charged for some in the neighborhood, even as Ayat’s owners say the name is meant to honor memory and culture.
What Ayat Will Serve
Ayat describes its food as Palestinian soul food, with a menu that includes large-format mansaf and maklouba feasts, shawarma and laffa wraps, and mezze staples such as hummus, labneh and baba ghanoush. The company also notes that the Hinds Hall location will be halal. Ayat’s site lists the Hinds Hall menu along with the 941 Amsterdam Avenue address.
Past Flare-Ups and Online Backlash
As documented by Eater, Ayat has previously been targeted by coordinated one-star review campaigns and online harassment at other locations. The Guardian and other outlets reported that a cheeky menu header eventually prompted the owners to host a free Shabbat dinner that drew more than 1,300 attendees, a gesture pitched as a community-building response to the controversy.
What Comes Next for the Corner
Ayat has not yet released an official opening date. I Love the Upper West Side notes that the restaurant’s Instagram continues to call the new Upper West Side outpost “opening very soon” but adds that the owners are keeping any firm timeline under wraps. Members of the Mama’s family say they are still searching for a nearby space to continue the pizzeria’s legacy, per still looking for a nearby spot.
For now, 941 Amsterdam is a construction site with history attached: a beloved slice shop’s longtime corner is on its way to becoming a politically outspoken Palestinian restaurant. We will update when Ayat announces a public opening date and when the Mama’s crew lands a new home for its pies.
