Garden Cafe closed

http://www.zagat.com/Blog/Detail.aspx?SCID=40&BLGID=21076

That's sad. One of the more romantic restaurants in NYC.

They had been looking for a buyer for over a year. I'm sad too, but glad for them as they wanted to retire.

They were waiting until they could sell it to another restauranteur. I loved that place and will definitely miss it, but I agree with Whatchuwant- they deserve a happy retirement.

And Tempo in Park Slope is closing too...not a good day for neighborhood food.

http://onlytheblogknowsbrooklyn.typepad.com/only_the_blog_knows_brook/2009/06/recession-watch-tempo-restaurant-closing.html

and another one opens:

OTBKB
Bklyn Larder: Foodie Paradise on Flatbush

I walked past the new Bklyn Larder (228 Flatbush Ave., nr. Sixth Ave., Park Slope; 718-783-1250) a couple of times last week. Once on my way to Babeland another time on my way to the Bergen Street subway station.

The store has a clean, white minimalist vibe and looks quite beautiful from the outside. My first thought: how brave to open a high end gourmet shop in times like these.

Then I went to a friend's birthday party and ran into the sister of the owner of Franny's and she told me that Franny and her husband Andrew Feinberg are also the owners of Bklyn Larder.

Franny's sister also told me that the new shop has an amazing cheese selection in a special climate-controlled room and that they will be pressing their own olive oil (!). That impressed me. They will also have pressed sandwiches, and dinner take-out. The couple are foodies extraordinaire and this shop should quite the place for local foodies and those who just like tasty stuff. Yum.

Very sad... One of those places that we said we would go to but never did. Feel kinda guilty for not supporting them enough.

We went once. It was very nice in a bed and breakfast sort of way. I have never been comfortable with that micromanaged hovering sort of attention. That's just me. But I hate to see dreams die. I don't know what else to say except I hope they have a restive retirement.

i don't know if their dreams died... didn't they just want to retire? good for them for doing what they wanted for as long as they wanted to.

They were rated the best restaurant in Brooklyn a few years back, so yea, no dreams died. Just yours, rosweed. They've busted their asses for years- now they rest!

I hope that they enjoy their retirement, and that we get another nice restaurant in its place. Not another bar. Vanderbilt has enough bars at the moment.

belzjm wrote: and another one opens:

OTBKB
Bklyn Larder: Foodie Paradise on Flatbush

I walked past the new Bklyn Larder (228 Flatbush Ave., nr. Sixth Ave., Park Slope; 718-783-1250) a couple of times last week. Once on my way to Babeland another time on my way to the Bergen Street subway station.

The store has a clean, white minimalist vibe and looks quite beautiful from the outside. My first thought: how brave to open a high end gourmet shop in times like these.

Then I went to a friend's birthday party and ran into the sister of the owner of Franny's and she told me that Franny and her husband Andrew Feinberg are also the owners of Bklyn Larder.

Franny's sister also told me that the new shop has an amazing cheese selection in a special climate-controlled room and that they will be pressing their own olive oil (!). That impressed me. They will also have pressed sandwiches, and dinner take-out. The couple are foodies extraordinaire and this shop should quite the place for local foodies and those who just like tasty stuff. Yum.

The Frannies people should have purchased the Garden space. I haven't been in BK Larder yet, so I am not passing judgment, but the Garden just seems like it would beat anything on Flatbush.

John and Camille (owners of the Garden Cafe) have been good neighbors in the almost 20 years I've been living near their restaurant. They certainly deserve a peaceful retirement, but still I am sad to see the windows of their labor of love papered over.

Actually, BKChickie, that's a great thought. Maybe this will re-open as a bar. We could use a wine bar or perhaps a no-frills place a la Sharlene's. Or another restaurant, maybe a bagel shop.

GoodProspect wrote: John and Camille (owners of the Garden Cafe) have been good neighbors in the almost 20 years I've been living near their restaurant. They certainly deserve a peaceful retirement, but still I am sad to see the windows of their labor of love papered over.

This.

Today they were demolishing the interior of the (former) Garden Cafe. Anyone know what's going to be replacing it?