A variation of this message initially showed up on October 3, 2025, in Eater and Punch’s e-newsletter Pre Shift , a biweekly newsletter for the sector pro that sources first-person accounts from bench and dining establishment world.
This send out exists by Square — the innovation company that makes business and monetary solutions simple and available.
Suppose you could bring your preferred, now-closed bar or restaurant back from the dead?
Many thanks to our cooperation with Square , we had the ability to make that dream a fact. For One Last Shift, our all new event series, we revived 2 beloved New York spots: Fatty Crab , a West Village Malaysian dining establishment that motivated a wave Southeast Oriental cuisine in the city, and Nitecap , a Lower East Side disco-fever imagine a bar that’s beloved by the sector.
The idea for One Last Shift was simple: to have one more possibility to restore the recipes, drinks, and groups that have affected the means we eat and consume alcohol today. We also wish to know who to event with following, so we asked guests to inform us which bars and restaurants they would certainly revive for one night. Keep reading for their solutions.
The bar that introduced LA’s mixed drink change. “Absolutely The Varnish , the legendary speakeasy in downtown LA. Sasha Petraske oversaw bench. I believe I may have been the very first client. It was like a living history, a place that was from the 1920 s. Places like that must just never ever go away.” — Matthew Kang, contributor, Eater
Nothing beats a neighborhood dining establishment. “I would revitalize Prime Meats , which was in Carroll Gardens. It had the very best salads, the very best hamburgers, several of the most effective alcoholic drinks, and just like the greatest neighborhood restaurant ever. I miss the space and the experience.”– Natasha David, writer, bartender and creative supervisor
A pioneer of agave spirits in the city. “I want to see Mayahuel back in full action, please and thanks. It was one of the most motivating agave bars to open, not only because it was among the first agave concentrated bars in New york city City, yet we additionally had the most impressive, innovative, encouraging personnel. I would not be the bartender who I lack the ladies that I collaborated with at that bar.” — Leanne Favre, owner, Dolores
A “dive restaurant” that welcomed every person. “When opening my initial and second restaurants [5 Ninth and Fatty Crab], I invested a fair bit of time in the hood. Unavoidably, the majority of evenings ended at the renowned Florent I liked being able to get bistro fare or morning meal at 4 in the early morning, with a hugely diverse mix of clients, from lawyers to sector folks to all kind of citizens. What made the place was the ambiance, overall experience, and the staff. And the food was great! For absence of a better term, I ‘d call it a dive dining establishment.” — Rick Camac, taking care of companion, RDC Hospitality Professional LLC
The disco-fueled bar we miss dearly. “I would restore Nitecap They had the perfect trifecta that every bar must have: good beverages, great environment, incredible bar team. I miss it dearly. I have the best memories from there, and they had the best nightclub sphere, too. SPLIT.” — Chloe Frechette, former managing editor, Strike
Do not fail to remember the treats. “I would certainly restore WD 50 for Alex Stupak’s dessert food selection, particularly. It was absolutely heavenly. WD 50 was extremely theoretical. It was very unusual food, so the dessert menu was additionally very weird, however not that difficult since it was like delicious chocolate and all type of fruit and it was simply fantastic. You might do a five-course treat sampling menu. It was unbelievable. Now he’s gone on to do all kinds of things. However I seem like that is the minute I miss in restaurants.” — Amanda Kludt, former author, Eater
An innovator in bicoastal food. Chanterelle It was one of the places that marked the start of ‘foodieism’ and it simply felt so unique, but additionally laid-back, and it felt domestic. There was great deals of area in the area, realty was cheap, therefore it felt like there was all this creative thinking and cross-pollination with California-style cooking in New york city in a way that felt fresh and brand-new.” — Melissa McCart, dining content manager, Northeast, Eater
A bar that can make you love bars. “I would certainly restore Wanderer More than anything, I miss the ambience. It’s simply an attractive bar and it seems like you’re taking a step back in time– a grand, luxurious location that you can walk into and is always so gorgeous. It was one of the most formative areas, and it made me love bars.” — Jelani Johnson, head bartender, Le Coucou
Interviews have actually been edited for size and quality.