u/MurkyMood6320

It’s interesting how Yorkville turned from a coffee desert not that long ago to being a place where new coffee spots seemingly pop up weekly.
LB Coffee opened last October. I stopped in a couple of days ago for an iced coffee, they sell a cold brew version.
I had been once before for a hot black coffee, which I preferred to their iced.
Friendly staff, a quiet little nook to sit inside as well as a bench and a couple of seats outside.

I have noticed active work being done at the old Saloon NYC space, which drew plenty of attention for noise complaints until they closed way back in 2017.
I have not heard what is moving in but 2024, Community Board 8 materials show “1584 York Ave Rest Corp., dba Kandela” applying for a liquor license/temporary retail permit at the location.
Kandela , a Mexican restaurant, currently has one location in Ozone Park.

I stopped by Black Star today for an iced coffee; it’s been a while since I’ve been in there.
When they first opened in 2019, it was a real benefit to the neighborhood and remains so. There was no coffee place in the area, except Oren’s, which closed in 2020. That was a longstanding neighborhood fixture for buying beans and grabbing coffee to go.
Aside from the coffee, Black Star’s real plus is a full food menu (I recommend the breakfast
burrito) and seating. The outdoor seating in the back is a pleasure.

Stopped into Dorian’s yesterday (1580 York Ave) looking for some gilt-head bream (they carry it as Dorade), none in stock, unfortunately. It’s my favorite fish to grill whole.
They did have some nice-looking soft-shell crabs. Season’s here.

Yesterday I stopped into Art in Flowers 2, at 320 East 81st Street, to buy some peonies, and it reminded me what a lovely neighborhood shop it is.
There are seemingly florists everywhere on the Upper East Side, and I’ve been to quite a few over the years. Art in Flowers 2 stands out for the kindness of the owner, the quality of the flowers, and the surprisingly wide variety packed into its postage-stamp-sized space.
A great little neighborhood florist.

Yesterday I walked past the future home of Bicchiere Wine & Pasta Bar, at 450 East 81st Street, just off York Avenue.
From what I could see through the small space, it looked as if a significant amount of interior work has already been completed.

I came across an interesting New York Times archive piece from October 24, 1926, titled “Alien Yorkville Re-Enters the Union: Foreign Charm of New York’s Upper East Side Is Fading.”
The article is essentially a nearly century-old lament about Yorkville losing its old neighborhood character. At the time, Yorkville was still strongly associated with German, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and other Central European immigrant communities.
What struck me most is how familiar the tone feels. The specific details have changed, of course, but the complaint has not. In 1926, the concern was that Yorkville was losing its “foreign charm.”
As a child growing up in Yorkville in the 70’s, I can still remember these types of conversations going on around me.

https://www.nytimes.com/1926/10/24/archives/alien-yorkville-reenters-the-union-foreign-charm-of-new-yorks-upper.html

The wait for the UES H Mart at 223 East 86th, has been painfully slow. The approximately 8,500-square-foot space was purchased in mid-December 2022.

Perhaps others have already noticed this, but as I walked by today, I saw that lighting and ductwork had been installed on the ceiling, which I had not previously seen.

I stopped by Artara Coffee today and was pleased to see it was busy. Our neighborhood’s only Cambodian coffee shop, its below-street-level space poses a challenge for walk-in traffic, but the bright orange color scheme helps. I enjoy the coffee, which is more of a dark roast style.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​