Jenni Guizio, the former director of wine and beverage for Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality, is stepping out on her own to open Zimmi’s at 72 Bedford Street, near Commerce Street. The new West Village restaurant with an attached wine bar will have a regional French theme. The kitchen will be led by Maxime Pradié, who was chef de cuisine at Lodi and a sous chef at Flora Bar. The space was previously the longtime home of Casa, a Brazilian restaurant, which closed in December 2022. Zimmi’s opens in April.
A dinner for Morscher’s Pork Store
Last week, news circulated that Morcher’s Pork Store is being forced to close this February after nearly 70 years in operation. Now Ridgewood mutual aid spot the Woodbine is hosting a dinner at their clubhouse this Sunday, January 28. The donation-based meal will go towards the employees of the pork store, with meat sourced from the shop (vegetarian options are available). It starts at 7 p.m. at 585 Woodward Avenue, near Grove Street; walk-ins only.
Upstate pastries from a former Troutbeck baker
Ariel Yotive, an alum of Grand Central’s now-closed Agern and the former head baker at James Beard-nominated restaurant Troutbeck upstate, has opened a bakery in the Hudson Valley. Find Vitsky Bakery’s pastries at Ten Mile Table, a market in Wassaic, New York. Her menu has included tahini chocolate muffins, everything-seasoned croissant knots, and danishes.
A new chef for a Prospect Heights restaurant
Nico Bouter, who was previously the chef of Kingfisher (which still appears to be on hiatus), is now the chef at Faun in Prospect Heights. Bouter had recently gone off on his own with a pop-up at Fulgurances in Greenpoint. There is a $62 prix fixe menu and a la carte options that will change seasonally. Expect items like pork collar with carrots, cranberry beans, apricot mostarda, potato agnolotti with trout roe, and cured tuna with hazelnut romesco. Faun first opened in 2016.