UWS Restaurant Roundup: Calle Ocho Closes, Playa Bowls Opens

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — The Upper West Side recently lost two restaurants that operated in the neighborhood for more than 20 years.

Along with closures of the longtime establishments, the neighborhood also has a new food spot coming to the area, as well as a closure of a local coffee joint.

Let's start with the opening.

Playa Bowls: 2327 Broadway, between West 84th and 85th Streets

Playa Bowls is coming to an Upper West Side street in desperate need of new business.

Opening between West 84th and 85th Streets, which is the same block as the now-shuttered Aldo and Victoria's Secret empty storefronts, Playa Bowls will bring its fruit bowls and smoothies to the neighborhood.

It also offers coffees, cold-pressed juices, and poke bowls.

The storefront is the former home of Origins.

After originating in New Jersey, Playa Bowls now has over 100 locations across the country.

It is expected to open during the beginning of March.

ILoveTheUpperWestSide was the first publication to report on the opening.

Closings

Calle Ocho: 2756 Broadway (corner of West 106th Street)

Calle Ocho closed at the end of January after more than 20 years on the Upper West Side.

The Cuban and pan-Latin American spot first opened in 1998, before eventually being forced to move locations three times to avoid rent hikes.

"After 23 years of serving the best Cuban/Pan Latino cuisine in New York we have been forced to make the decision to close our doors, permanently, after Brunch on Sunday, January 23rd," Calle Ocho wrote on its Instagram. "We hope to see you this week. We will miss you all dearly."

Calle Ocho was best known for its bottomless brunch that offered 10 different flavors of sangria.

Cafe Roma: 854 Amsterdam Avenue (Near the corner of West 102nd Street)

Cafe Roma sold pizza and Jewish cuisine in the neighborhood for more than 25 years before closing in February.

It operated for most of that period at West 91st Street and Amsterdam, before moving to West 102nd Street.

Cafe Roma might not be permanently gone from the neighborhood, though, as it is possibly looking for a new location in the 80s or 90s, according to the WestSideRag.

Joe's Coffee Company: 271 Amsterdam Avenue (West 73rd Street)

A rent increase means that Joe's Coffee Company is shuttering its location West 73rd Street and Amsterdam.

The coffee chain has two nearby outposts, though, on 187 Columbus Avenue and 514 Columbus Avenue.

The WestSideRag was the first to report on the Joe's Coffee Company closure.