La Caridad, Beloved Longtime UWS Eatery, Appears To Be Reopening

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — In a major bit of positive Upper West Side restaurant news, it appears that the incredibly popular La Caridad is opening again in the neighborhood.

A sign reading, "Coming Soon — La Caridad 72nd — Comida China Y Criolla" recently went up at 130 W. 72nd St., between Amsterdam and Columbus avenues.

The space was most recently home to Friedman's.

La Caridad closed in 2020 at the corner of 78th Street and Broadway after serving customers at the location for 52 years.

Here is an excerpt from Curbed's Mark Harris about the closing.

"La Caridad 78 came as close to feeling permanent as any restaurant on the Upper West Side," Harris wrote. "It had held down a place of honor on Broadway through 52 years, seven mayoralties, and most of my life, which was largely spent living nearby."

"The menu was immense, the prices weirdly specific ($4.35, $6.45), the portions — of pepper steak, of black beans and rice, of fried plantains — hearty enough that you could walk in and, 45 minutes later, waddle out two or three pounds heavier and not more than 12 bucks lighter," he added. "And you would have spent that 45 minutes in the company of neighborhood folks, not slummers or food tourists, just young, middle-aged, and old people in search of a completely reliable meal."

The restaurant was founded by Raphael Lee, who was a Chinese immigrant that had spent time living in Havana, Cuba.

Patch was not able to get in contact with the new iteration of La Caridad, as there is no website or apparent social media page.

A business license was filed in January 2023, though, for La Caridad 72 Inc. by an agent based in Queens, as first reported by ILoveTheUpperWestSide.

Patch will update this story when there is more information to provide on the possible opening.