13th St.’s Corkbuzz has been closed for a year, and it looks like its sucessor, Varith, a new Thai restaurant, is set to open in the space. Renovations have just begun. A partnership between New York City Thai restaurant operators Top Thai and Valla Table has signed a 10-year lease.The deal includes 3,500 square feet on the ground floor, 1,000 square feet of basement space, and 2,500 square feet of lower-level space for a speakeasy-style lounge. Led by chef and operator Chuck Valla, the new restaurant will be named after Valla’s mother and represents “a deeply personal passion project for all parties involved,” Meridian said.

Here’s an interview with Chuck Valla. 

Here are some details from the liquor license application:

–Premises will be operated and advertised as a full-service Thai restaurant with the kitchen open and full menu items available until closing every night.
–Hours of operation will be 11 AM to 11 PM Sundays through Saturdays (7 days a week). All
patrons will be cleared and no patrons will remain after stated closing time.
–Will not operate as a Lounge, Tavern or Sports Bar or allow any portion of premises to be
operated in that manner.
–Will not operate a backyard garden or any other outdoor area for commercial purposes including any sidewalk café and/or roadbed seating.
–Will play recorded background music at conversational levels only so as not to cause a
disturbance in any adjacent residences at any time.
–Will not have televisions.
–Will close all doors and windows at all times, allowing only for patron ingress and egress.
–Will not have patron occupancy/service to any portion of the basement of licensed premises.
–Will not install or have French doors, operable windows or open facades.
–Will not make changes to the existing façade except to change signage or awning.
–Will comply with NYC Department of Buildings Regulations and will keep current at all times required Permits and Certificates
–Will not have unlimited drink or unlimited food and drink specials. Will not have “boozy
brunches.” No pitchers of beer.
–There will be no “bottle service” or the sale of bottles of alcohol except for the sale of bottles of beer or wine products
–Will not have dancing, DJ’s, live music, promoted events, any event where a cover fee is charged or any scheduled performances, velvet ropes or metal barricades or security personnel/doormen.

34 Union Square East will become a 12-story residential building. Designed by INPUT for MSH Equities LLC, the 124-foot-tall structure will yield 29 condominium units with an average scope of 1,013 square feet. The project will also include 1,555 square feet of ground floor retail.

Bernie and Herb’s has opened at 28 East 16th St., the recent site of Flat Fix and the former site of the much missed Coffee Shop VIP Room. In a nostalgic twist, the owners have resurrected the Coffee Sign and will install it soon, so the facade will ultimately look like this:

More details have emerged about the upcoming 5 West 13th. St, a very tall condo with very few units. Consider it another safe deposit box for absentee foreign real estate investors.

Here’s a fascinating history of our very close neighbor.

Say hello to MYKA, the newest addition to Union Square’s dining scene. Founded in Madrid, MYKA specializes in artisanal frozen Greek yogurt made with Greek yogurt and goat’s milk kefir. Rooted in a passion for quality, craftsmanship, and thoughtful design, MYKA offers a fresh take on frozen yogurt that celebrates simple, natural ingredients. MYKA is open at 119 E 15th St.

Now open at 12 W 17th Street, Yakiniku Great offers a unique take on Japanese barbecue, sourcing premium Wagyu from across Japan and air-shipping it directly to New York. Guests can enjoy the rich flavor and natural umami of fresh Wagyu while exploring a variety of rare cuts in an authentic Japanese dining experience.

What was briefly Rulin hand-pulled noodles on our 13th St. block has suddenly transformed into Taco Lane. Here is the write-up: “Taco Lane, the Asian taco bistro from the couple behind Brooklyn’s beloved Noodle Lane, is officially open in Union Square in the space that was formerly known as Rulin. Taco Lane is owned and operated by Li and her husband, Chris Wang, who have backgrounds in finance and technology, respectively. However, they made a significant shift in their careers to pursue food full-time. Li’s story is one of remarkable resilience spanning from her childhood in China and Flatbush to her becoming a chef. After completing her training at the Institute of Culinary Education while simultaneously working in finance, the birth of her son, Jackson, served as a catalyst for her decision to dedicate her life to the culinary arts. This pivotal moment ultimately led to the successful establishment of Noodle Lane at Smorgasburg in 2011. Subsequently, a brick-and-mortar location was opened in Park Slope in 2023, and now, the latest of the “Lane” locations has arrived in the form of Taco Lane.”

Permits have been filed to build a 12-story 29-unit building at 34 Union Square East. The proposed 124-foot-tall building will have 29,390 square feet of residential space and 1,555 square feet of commercial space. The site formerly held a TGIF restaurant and then the Spacious co-working space. It has been vacant for six years.

Information is sketchy, but it appears that Pan Am Equities, the real estate company that owns the collection of “True North” apartment buildings, including one on our 13th St. block, is now in the process of reconfiguring 24-26 East 13th St., the former home of the New York Health and Racquet Club, into 39 apartments, up from the previous 24. The ground floor and basement may once again hold a fitness facility. It’s unclear if the overall size of the building will change, but it appears not.