An elevated American bistro with an emphasis on comfort food will open soon in the East Village. Cecilia is owned by Russell Steinberg , who is drawing on his background as a long-time performer in the city to inspire the design and atmosphere of Cecilia. Chris Kronner of Mayday Seafood and Kronnerburger, is a consulting partner on the project.
Before transforming into Cecilia, this space was Yaffa Cafe and for a brief period Taberna 97 . Steinberg thought of Yaffa Cafe as a coming of age spot for his generation. It was a place people went to after a night out together with friends. The space has amassed a lot of good will over the years, and Steinberg hopes that continues once his doors open.
What Now NY connected with him over the phone to learn more about his transformation of this space.
“Cecilia really began with the space itself,” said Steinberg. “This is an iconic spot in the city, and I couldn’t let someone from out of town be the one to take it over. After I locked the space down I looked inside, and I had an immediate vision of what it was going to be.”
Cecilia is named after Steinberg‘s younger daughter who attends preschool next-door . One of her birthday celebrations had been hosted in the space previously and fostered Steinberg’s love for the space.
“Previously, Yaffa Cafe designed an iconic mural that had become a neighborhood landmark,” said Steinberg. “I started wondering ‘How do you replace something so iconic?’ And then the artist Tabboo! was walking by. He has since put together an incredible mural. It was really meant to be.”
While the interior is almost entirely new, some remnants of Taberna 97 remain— most notably the tile fish.
Cecilia will serve dinner and hopefully brunch as well at a future date. Steinberg mentioned the potential to serve lunch in the future if there was a demand for it. Exact details about the menu have not yet been revealed. Adam Rule will be the executive chef of Cecilia.
A questionnaire filed with Community Board 3 indicates there will be 36 seats indoors and approximately 12 outdoors. A post on Cecilia’s social media page indicates there will be a bar and outdoor seating area.
Cecilia is aiming for a soft opening in early August and a hard opening in September. Check in with Cecilia’s Instagram page for the latest updates.
Editor’s Note: [The original version of this article misstated that the tile fish was a remnant of Yaffa Cafe. It is leftover from the design of Taberna 97.]
Keep up with What Now New York’s restaurant, retail, and real estate scoop by subscribing to our newsletter , liking us on Facebook , and following us on Twitter . Opening a restaurant? Browse our Preferred Partners .
Most Popular
Comments / 0