West Village Gastropub Bar Sardine Is Permanently Shutting Down | Eater NY

"A cozy, 28-seat neighborhood gastropub in the West Village, I learned that Bar Sardine will permanently shutter at the end of August after owner Gabriel Stulman said lease negotiations collapsed during the pandemic. Despite launching a takeout concept called the Corner, opening for outdoor sidewalk dining when allowed, and offering delivery, those measures couldn't sustain the business; the restaurant will remain open for outdoor dining, takeout, and delivery until August 27. Originally started as a Japanese izakaya named Chez Sardine before pivoting to a gastropub in 2014, it was known for an ambitious cocktail program and a top-selling burger layered with smoked cheddar and cucumbers and slathered in barbecue mayonnaise. The menu, created by Chef Mehdi Brunet-Benkritly, featured creative, seasonal takes on bar snacks. Stulman says he’d “love” to bring the restaurant back after the pandemic but is focused on leading a “rescue mission” to keep his other eight restaurants afloat, tracking the proposed RESTAURANTS Act and lamenting what he sees as government failure to address the crisis facing restaurants." - Erika Adams