Another NYC staple bites the dust.
The Ukranian diner, Odessa Restaurant, will be permanently closing this Sunday, July 19 after 26 years in the East Village .
Local East Village blog EV Grieve reported the news after speaking with longtime manager Dennis Vassilatos. He said that it’s because of the severe decline in business since COVID-19 (it doesn’t have to do with paying rent, as co-owner Mike Skulikidis is also the landlord). It will close this Sunday and will still be offering delivery and takeout until then.
The spot was a popular late night hangout spot after spending the night drinking at bars in the East Village, or for restaurant workers getting off shift late, as it was open 24 hours a day. They offered diner comfort foods like soups, hot sandwiches, burgers, and of course some Eastern European influence with items like pierogi.
The original Odessa Cafe opened in the 1960s, but closed permanently in 2013. This space, which was an expansion of the original, opened next door in 1995, and has been a neighborhood mainstay since then.
Odessa was located at 119 Avenue A, and their phone number is (212) 253-1482 if you’d like to grab one last bite.
featured image source: Instagram / @dfnormile