Calling themselves your “friendly neighborhood steakhouse,” Swiss Butter just signed a lease for a 3,500 square foot store at 241 West 52nd Street in Manhattan, its first outpost in the U.S. Its menu is based on simplicity, offering steak, chicken or salmon drenched in its secret butter-based sauce made with 33 carefully guarded ingredients. Founded by restauranteur Eddy Massaad in 2017 in Beruit, Swiss Butter now has restaurants in Dubai, Riyadh and other cities in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Madrid and London, for a total of 15 locations. None are franchised. The West 52nd Street location is expected to be just the first in New York with a plan to expand to other cities in the U.S. as well. Bernstein Redo & Savitsky, P.C. assisted with the lease transaction and is proud to be part of the Swiss Butter team.
Babbo, one of New York’s most iconic Italian restaurants at 110 Waverly Place, has been acquired by Stephen Starr and Starr Restaurant Group. Michelin-starred Del Posto’s former chef Mark Ladner has been hired to run the kitchen. Babbo made a splash when it was opened in 1998 by Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich. Batali left the business in 2017. Starr Restaurant Group’s New York restaurants include Buddakan, Upland, Pastis, Le Coucou and others. Bernstein Redo & Savitsky, P.C. is proud to be a part of the Babbo and Starr Restaurant Group team.
Kith Ivy at 120 Leroy Street in Manhattan is opening its members only club featuring a restaurant, Café Mogador, three rooftop full-sized padel courts, the first Erewhon tonic bar location outside of Los Angeles, a Giorgio Armani designed full-service spa, and a 1,500 square foot gym. The spa will include a jacuzzi, hammam, sauna, steam rooms and cold plunge. Kith CEO Ronnie Fieg has partnered with Midtown Equities and the Cayre family in launching the club. The project faced stiff opposition by Manhattan Community Board 2 and local residents but was approved for a liquor license in August. Bernstein, Redo & Savitsky, P.C. is proud to be part of the Kith Ivy team.
Life Time has continued expanding fitness clubs in New York with a 37,000 square foot athletic facility in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn opened last year. The Brooklyn club is in a 51-story tower at Brooklyn Crossing on Atlantic Avenue and occupies three floors. It includes a café offering food, as Lifetime says, “for health and happiness.” The Brooklyn location opened shortly after Life Time also unveiled its club at One Penn Plaza in Manhattan, which includes a swimming pool in its offerings to members. These outposts are in addition to the Life Time clubs at One Wall Street, and West 42nd St. All of these clubs have food and beverage offerings in addition to the fitness and athletic facilities. Bernstein Redo & Savitsky, P.C. is proud to be part of the Life Time team.
Manhattan’s newest and long-awaited private members club, San Vicente West Village, is now open in the former Jane Hotel at 119 Jane Street in Manhattan. The 1908 building, originally a sailors’ home and which housed survivor’s of the Titanic in 1912, was reconfigured by English designer Rose Uniacke with a roof terrace and café in a turret overlooking the Hudson. The club also has a screening room, sushi bar and dining room. Hotelier Jeff Klein, the creator of San Vicente Bungalows with its flagship in West Hollywood in 2018, purchased the Jane Hotel from Richard Born in 2022. A second club, San Vicente Santa Monica opened in 2024. The West Village club hosted SNL’s 50th anniversary star-studded party and then opened to its members. Bernstein Redo & Savitsky, P.C. is proud to be part of the San Vicente West Village team.
The Twenty Two, a hotel and members club with its original outpost steps away from Grosvenor Square in the heart of Mayfair, London, just launched its second location in Union Square at 16 East 16th Street in Manhattan. The New York property is nearly double the size of its sister hotel in London and features 17 suites and a rooftop penthouse. The hotel includes a private members club on the second floor of the property, designed for the creative and curious. The food and beverage operations for the hotel and members club are curated by the renowned all-female team from New York’s Raf’s and Michelin-starred The Musket Room, sisters Jennifer Vitagliano and Nicole Vitagliano, and Executive Chef Mary Attea. Bernstein Redo & Savitsky, P.C. is proud to be part of The Twenty Two team.
The Rueben Brothers new Surrey Hotel opened last month on the Upper East Side. The 16-story building is managed by Corinthia Hotels and is owned by David and Simon Reuben, global leaders in real estate and private equity out of the UK. The East 76th Street hotel has 7 guest rooms and 30 suites with an Italian and Mediterranean restaurant operated by Miky and Leticia Grendene’s Casa Tua. Casa Tua, which operates private members clubs in Paris, Miami and Aspen, also opened a members club on the second floor of the Surrey. The Casa Tua interiors were designed by Floretine architect Michele Bönan. Bernstein Redo & Savitsky, P.C. is proud to be part of the Surrey and Casa Tua teams.
Midtown Equities’ Michael Cayre is set to open Chez Margaux next month, the newest private members club in New York City. Located on 13th Street off Ninth Avenue in the Meatpacking District. It occupies the same space as the former Spice Market. The club claims to be inspired by the elegance of Paris in the 1930’s and has been created in partnership with Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. It will include restaurants showcasing modern French cuisine, private dining areas, an intimate library, and a nightclub. Michael Cayre was also involved in opening Casa Cipriani, a private members club in the elegant BMB Building downtown. Bernstein Redo & Savitsky, P.C. is proud to be part of the Chez Margaux team!
Located on East Houston Street on the Lower East Side, Flyfish Club is set to open on September 20, 2024. The innovative members only club is the brainchild of Gary Vaynerchuck and VCR Group, and is the first members club to have its members purchase Non Fungible tokens through a blockchain. The club will extend over three levels with more than 11,000 square feet of space created by Garrett Signer Design and will feature a Omakase room. The culinary program is designed by popular celebrity and award-winning chef Josh Capon. Bernstein Redo & Savitsky, P.C. is proud to be part of the Flyfish Club team.
Two new openings by notable restauranteurs. ZZ’s Club is a private members club in Hudson Yards, pictured above. It features interior design from Ken Fulk and offers the finest caliber cuisine under the direction of Major Food Group, owners of the fabled Carbone, and the new, noteworthy Torrisi. Within ZZ’s there will be a private version of Carbone. ZZ’s replaces Tavern, a members club operated by Related Companies in partnership with Wine Spectator.
Also opening next week is Little Maven, a self-described modern American neighborhood restaurant on West 18th Street. VCR Group’s Little Maven team includes entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk, hospitality veterans chefs Josh Capon and Conor Hanlon, and David Rodolitz, the same group behind the planned private members club Fly Fish that will open early next year on East Houston Street. Fly Fish was featured this past year at the U.S. Open.
Bernstein Redo & Savitsky, P.C. is proud to be part of the ZZ’s and Little Maven teams!