Padrino's Pizza Out, Tommy's Famous Cheesesteaks In on Fifth

It's been less than three months since a new pizzeria, Padrino's, opened on Fifth Avenue just north of Ninth Street, in the space last occupied by Mamco Electronics. The no-frills pizza joint was beginning to get a reputation as one of the better pizza options in the area, but as soon as it opened, it closed down. Now there's new signage on the storefront, indicating that the space's next tenant will be called Tommy's Famous Cheesesteaks and Pizza.

Most signs point towards ownership being the same, but the new menu will more likely be a bit more eclectic. Either way, it looks like this part of the Slope is about to get one more fast food option.

Stoop Juice Coming to 443 Seventh Avenue

A new juice, smoothie, and healthy snack shop is in the works on Seventh Avenue between 15th and 16th Streets (right next door to Thistle Hill Tavern), in a space last occupied by a nail salon.

It's called Stoop Juice, and they'll be serving up "delicious juices and smoothies made of fresh organic/minimally treated fruits and vegetables while simultaneously protecting our environment by using sustainable, biodegradable food packaging, utensils and paper products," according to their website. There's an obvious focus on insanely healthy offerings, and along with juices and smoothies they'll offer a vegetable spring roll, salads, hummus, gazpacho, an almond butter and banana sandwich, and dark chocolate bars.

Everything's vegeterian, and most items are also vegan. Basically, if you were to decide to live entirely off of their offerings, you'd be the healthiest person on earth. It also looks like they'll be offering juice cleanses.

Many thanks to a tipster for sending in the above photo.

"Pharmacy" Coming to 160 Park Place?

It's been about eight months since New Hapy Taco, the hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant on Park Place between Seventh and Flatbush Avenues (but ostensibly on Flatbush), closed for good after being shut down by the Department of Health. Well, the space has finally been rented, and an intriguing work permit went up recently on the facade (obscured by the roll-down gate in the photo above).

It reads "PROPOSED ALTERATION TO EXISTING COMMERCIAL PHARMACY SPACE," and it also provides for the construction of interior partitions and a new store front.

I'm not sure why the storefront is being called a "pharmacy space," and I'm not incredibly fluent in DOB-ese, but this seems to indicate that the next occupant of the space will in fact be a pharmacy of some sort.

It already seems to have a couple obstacles working against it, though: the space is very small, a giant, 24-hour Duane Reade is literally right across the street, and another large pharmacy, Kings, is a two-minute walk up Flatbush. Maybe "pharmacy" is a catch-all that also incorporates different types of businesses (sort of like the way Culture's permit read "Coffee Shop")?

Time will tell.

Your Long-Awaited Calexico Update

It seems like ages since news broke that an outpost of Calexico, the beloved Cal-Mex restaurant that started as a cart on Wooster street and has since grown into a mini-empire, would be opening in the space last occupied by Blue Ribbon Sushi, on Fifth Avenue between First and Garfield.

Since then, I've made several attempts to contact the owners, the Vendley brothers, to no avail, and a tweet sent out last weekend was met with silence. Several calls to their various outposts (currently two carts and two Brooklyn storefronts, with one more, on the Lower East Side, on the way) also were met with silence, as well as emails. Until yesterday.

I gave the Red Hook location another shot-in-the-dark call, and after being placed on hold, I finally got some news:

"It'll be opening in March," I was told. "They had to push it back because they're working on getting the Lower East Side location open, but after that the one in Park Slope will be opening."

Obviously these timelines are never set in stone, but it's nice to finally be able to get confirmation that our long wait will eventually be rewarded!

"Gather" Opening January 22 in Uncle Moe's Space

It's been well over a year since Uncle Moe's, the burrito and taco shop on Seventh Avenue between Ninth and Tenth Streets, closed up shop after 20 years in business. Back in September I learned that "a cafe" was planned for the space, and now finally details are available about what we can expect: It'll be called Gather, will specialize in prepared foods, and should be opening by the end of the month.

When I dropped in over the weekend I had the opportunity to speak with the chef, who's very excited about finally getting the operation up and running. Construction is complete, and it seems as if just a few last minute details are needed before they open, which should be "by January 22nd," she said.

As for what to expect, there's not much in the way of seating but a large counter featuring a selection of prepared foods that should make for a very solid dinner to take home on your way from the subway. The menu has already been posted online, and while soups and sandwiches are offered, the main focus is on proteins and sides. You can choose from options like chicken, skirt steak, and pork or beef stew, and complement it with a wide assortment of sides including mac and cheese, kale salad, and healthy veggies and such. There will also be daily specials. For breakfast, oatmeal, granola, breakfast sandwiches, and pastries will be on offer, with coffee from Intelligentsia and tea from Kusmi.

All offerings will be made from scratch, using fresh, seasonal ingredients. With an emphasis on healthy prepared foods geared toward takeout, a seemingly cohesive business plan, and a real differentiation from anything else in the area, something tells me that this place will do quite well.