These Uptown Businesses Want To Serve Booze, Host DJs

UPPER MANHATTAN, NY — Washington Heights and Inwood's Community Board 12 Licensing Committee saw nearly two dozen uptown restaurants petition for new licenses or alterations to existing ones in a recent meeting.

The requests ranged from liquor renewal licenses to new wine licenses to extended DJ hours for Upper Manhattan restaurants and clubs.

Patch sorted through the license request and approvals to find the most eyecatching ones of the bunch.

Buunni Coffee Inwood To Offer Wine: 4961 Broadway

The immensely popular uptown coffee shop looks set to add a wine menu option after getting unanimous approval from the community board committee for the license.

"Amazing since arrival with strong community ties," uptown resident Sally Fisher said during the meeting on the coffee shop's behalf. "Bring food drives and festivals to the community. Thrilled to have them in the area. Recommend them with no reservations."

Two committee members also spoke favorably about Bunnii Coffee and the application passed with a five-to-nothing vote in favor.

The State Liquor Authority will still need to approve the license to have it become official.

La Cantina Heights To Add Security, DJ, and Live Music: 4460 Broadway

The authentic Mexican-American restaurant petitioned for an operational change, requesting to add security services because of "safety concerns in the area."

La Cantina also requested to add a DJ, a once-a-week live band, and a karaoke option.

A committee member asked the restaurant representatives if there was a day of the week established for the live music and what the hours for the DJ would be, but the representatives said the specifics were not yet set — adding they would be "mindful" of the nearby residents.

The requests passed with a six-to-nothing vote in favor.

New "Family Seafood" Restaurant Coming To 203rd Street

A soon-to-open Inwood seafood restaurant petitioned the community board committee for a liquor license at 420 West 203rd Street, the previous location of Vaca, which is next to Cocina Taller.

The owner described the new eatery as a "family-oriented restaurant bringing seafood to the area."

Those families will likely be night owls as the eatery requested permission to stay open until 4 a.m. seven days a week to showcase musical performances.

"If it is a family restaurant why need a DJ and live music?" asked one uptown resident. "Until the owner proves to have integrity...then we should keep open until 2 a.m."

The location is already soundproof and a sound limiter will also be installed, owners noted.

Licensing committee chair Isidro Medina requested owners post "Good neighbor" and "No double parking" signs as well as contact information for the manager. He also declined permission for the eatery to stay open past 2 a.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

With those stipulations in place, the liquor license application passed unanimously.

You can read through all the most recent restaurant license approval requests and the community board's votes on CB12's website.