Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Openings Roundup: The JakeWalk, Broadway East, Refresh
By
John Del Signore
Published Mar 8, 2008
Modified Mar 8, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
John Del Signore
Published Mar 8, 2008
Modified Mar 8, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
THE JAKEWALK: This romantic Carroll Gardens wine, cocktail and cheese bar is named after a Prohibition-era malady called the “Jake Walk”: a stiff-legged gait that afflicted drinkers of Jamaica Ginger, an alcohol-based “tonic” tainted with a leg-paralyzing neurotoxin. It’s the third in a growing “Smith Street empire” run by the owners of nearby haunts Smith & Vine and Stinky Bklyn. Their new venture, which opened last night, boasts (deep breath) 50 wines by the glass, 120 kinds of whisky, a rotating specialty cocktail list and a menu bulging with 40 cheeses, 20 cured meats, caviar and a “fondue of the day.” 282 Smith Street, Brooklyn, (347) 599-0294.
BROADWAY EAST: An organic Chinatown restaurant opens tonight and the design sounds good enough to eat, if you like your greens: Co-owner Ron Castellano has installed a 240 foot "living green wall" in the dining room, bursting with plants. Chef Lee Gross’s menu features fish and chicken entrees alongside veggie dishes like golden-beet tartare with shallot-hijiki puree. And what a dainty environmental footprint: the downstairs bar is made from wood salvaged from a NYC water tower, the restaurant composts, filters and carbonates its own water, uses a green linen company, and donates waste cooking oil to the Environmental Energy Recycling Corp. 171 East Broadway, (212) 228-3100
REFRESH: It may not seem like a big deal to Manhattanites, but South Williamsburg residents craving fresh juice will be happy to welcome Refresh, which opened yesterday on Bedford between South 1st and Grand. The diminutive café hopes to break the curse of this particular hole-in-wall, which has seen two eateries go bust in as many years. Aside from the fresh juice, Refresh serves smoothies, sandwiches made to order, pastries, bagels and coffee; a few seats and tables will make a great pit stop on the way to the subway. 287 Bedford Avenue.
Photo of The JakeWalk: Carolyn Fong
Tagged
bars
broadway east
brooklyn
juice
new
new york city
open
organic
Refresh
restaurants
The Jake Walk
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
Published Oct 10, 2026
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Food
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian
By
Robert Sietsema
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .