Caramello to Reopen Soon as Cafe Sant Edesia

Caramello, the year-and-a-half-old gelato and baked goods shop on Fifth between Union and Berkeley, closed down unexpectedly at the end of September. A note went up on their Facebook page soon after saying that "things are a brewin,'" and since then there's been sporadic work in the space but no real word on what's going on.

I did some digging and was able to track down Benny, the owner, who filled me in on the situation. He said that they've renamed the shop Cafe Sant Edesia, and it should be back in business in about a week or so. There will still be baked goods and coffee, along with bagels, salads, sandwiches, and free wifi. Disappointingly, the wide selection of gelato options has been cut drastically, and the large gelato case has been removed to make way for a communal table. Benny was previous owner/ gelato maker Nicoletta Grippo's business partner, but she's no longer associated with the shop and it appears as if she was forced out over financial issues.

While her gelato was delicious, he made it clear that there were too many varieties available, and because they weren't selling well the selection had to be cut back (most likely the price of the top-notch ingredients was high as well). It seems like a handful of selections will still be available, but I'm not sure if it will be made on-premises.

The gelato was arguably the best part of Caramello, but when it reopens it appears as if it'll be essentially be a completely new shop, more a place to hang out with your laptop, a bagel, and a coffee than a place to stop into and get a gelato and pastry to go.

Until then, they're hiring!

C+BK Cemiteria Coming to 435 5th Avenue

A new traditional Mexican bakery is coming to 435 Fifth Avenue, between 8th and 9th Streets. Called C+BK, new signage indicates that it'll focus on cemitas, tacos, and breakfast dishes.

A web search reveals no details about what's in the works, but the awning gives away plenty of details, all of which are promising.

A cemita is a traditional Mexican sandwich with origins in Puebla: a brioche-like, sesame seed-topped roll is filled with meat and usually avocado, fresh white cheese similar to mozzarella, onions, and salsa roja, and the fact that this place seems to be dedicting itself to making them is a very good sign. Tacos and breakfasts will also be for sale, and the fact that the word "bakery" is on the awning also most likely implies that they'll be selling Mexican-style pan dulce and baking the cemita rolls in-house.

Not sure how far along construction is and when they're planning on opening, but for lovers of sandwiches (and Mexican food in general), this is an opening worth keeping an eye on.

South Brooklyn Pizza Replaced by Percy's $1 Pizza on First Street

About a month after re-opening after a marshal seizure, the outpost of South Brooklyn Plzza on First Street near Seventh Avenue has been replaced by a dollar slice joint named Percy's, which incidentally is also owned by the folks behind South Brooklyn.

Percy's also has an outpost on Bleecker Street, and Slice's Adam Kuban has deemed its offerings "a dollar slice that doesn't suck." The Bleecker location also replaced a former South Brooklyn Pizza. As opposed to traditional dollar slices, like those sold by 2 Bros. (in which the dough is stretched on an oiled surface, then transferred to a screen and cooked), this is made in a more traditional way, stretched on a floured surface and then baked in the same high-end Blodgett oven South Brooklyn used.

When South Brooklyn opened here, many opined that its pizza, at about $5 per slice, was too expensive for kids on their lunch break from the school across the street. But once again, owner James McGown gets the last laugh. Many thanks to reader Susan for sending in the photo.

Caramello Has Been Closed Since Last Weekend (UPDATED)

Owner Nicoletta Grippo

For those who are fans of Caramello's gelato and baked goods, you might be in for some bad news: Caramello, the shop that opened on Fifth between Union and Berkeley last June and sold some of the highest-quality, most authentic gelato you'll find outside of Italy, has been closed since last weekend. The interior hasn't been touched, however, and it has an "A" rating from the DOH, the phone line's still active, and there's no indication on the website or otherwise that it's closed for good. It just seems like one night the roll-down gate closed and it was never raised again.

I've reached out to owner Nicoletta Grippo, who comes from a long line of gelato makers, but have yet to hear back. The gelato she makes, which uses only fresh ingredients and comes in varieties both classic and unique, is nothing short of delicious, and her baked goods and pastries are nothing to sneeze at either.

One thing that I always thought Caramello had working against it was its layout: the gelato counter was tucked in the back of the shop as opposed to being up front and visible from the sidewalk; when the excellent L'Albero dei Gelati opened in July eight blocks away they put their gelato front and center, and the sidewalk line has been a near-constant presence ever since. Gelato is usually an impulse buy, and if you can see it you'll be far more likely to buy a cup.

I will update if and when I hear back from Nicoletta. I hope that this underappreciated neighborhood gem isn't done for good.

UPDATE 10/2: Caramello just posted this on their Facebook page:

"Hey all! You guys have probably noticed the absence of treats and coffee this past week-- things are a brewin' so keep an open eye for changes; big and small! Thanks for the love you'll see us again soon."

Closed for Business: Anthony's, 426 7th Avenue

Anthony's, the Southern Italian, pizza-focused restaurant on Seventh between 14th and 15th Streets, has closed after eight years in business. A sign posted by co-owner Joe Bosco has gone up in the window thanking the neighborhood for its support over the years, without providing a reason for the closure besides "we have decided to close our doors."

The restaurant was the dream of a former mason from Naples named Anthony Buglione, but he passed away three years before it opened. Anthony's sons Sal and Frank opened the restaurant with partners Bosco and Louie Pagano in November 2005 in his honor, in a space that was last occupied by French restaurant Paradou. The homestyle menu was traditional red-sauce Italian, with pizzas and calzones (baked in a custom-made gas-fired brick oven), pasta, chicken-, veal-, and eggplant-based entrees, salads, and appetizers including baked clams and stuffed mushrooms. Frank made the mozzarella, and their mother Lina made the Sunday ragu.

The restaurant might not have served legendarily delicious food, but it was family-owned through and through and featured old-world, old-school recipes passed down over generations. And there's no denying that the pizza was good. It shut down briefly last year to undergo some renovations, but those apparently weren't enough to ward off whatever it was that ended up shutting them down.

Many thanks to reader Erik for sending in the photo of the sign.

Top Photo: Andrew Karcie/ New York Magazine