La Pecora Bianca’s new UWS location on Columbus Avenue. Photos by Lisa Kava
By Lisa Kava
La Pecora Bianca, the popular Italian restaurant chain, is opening its second Upper West Side location at 61 Columbus Avenue (at West 62nd Street), on October 19th, founder and CEO Mark Barak confirmed to West Side Rag in an email. La Pecora Bianca also has a location at 359 Columbus Avenue (at West 77th Street), along with restaurants in Nomad, Midtown, the Upper East Side, Soho, Bryant Park, and in the Theater District.
The newest location will be known as La Pecora Bianca Lincoln Square according to an Instagram post, and will feature “two floors, easy Amalfi vibes, and overflowing Spritzes and Rigationi.” It will be the largest of La Pecora Bianca’s locations, with 8,000 square feet of indoor space and seating for over 250 guests. There will be outdoor seating in the spring, Barak wrote to the Rag. The menu will feature fan favorite dishes such as rigatoni vodka, whipped ricotta toast, and chicken parmesan. It will also premier some new dishes exclusive to the Lincoln Square location such as mafaldine (pairing roasted butternut squash with brown butter and crispy sage), trecce (pasta served with braised short rib ragu and parmesan), local burrata paired with stone fruit agrodolce (a sweet-and-sour condiment), and autumn pizza, layered with delicata squash, speck, ricotta, fontina, and sage. “With Lincoln Square, we wanted to build on everything people love about La Pecora Bianca while creating an experience that feels entirely new,” Barak wrote in a press release. Rosa Mexicano, the Mexican restaurant which relocated in 2025, was previously in the space.
NYU Langone’s new radiology center.
NYU Langone Radiology Upper West Side, a state of the art imaging center, opened at 1980 Broadway (at West 67th Street), on October 12th. It is a 28,000-square-foot facility which offers advanced imaging technologies to support a broad range of clinical needs, including breast, neurological, cardiovascular, and cancer care. The center offers integrated PET/MR, advanced cardiac CT, and 3D mammography enhanced by validated artificial intelligence tools, as well as a full range of other imaging services, according to a press release. ”Our goal is to provide patients with the highest level of diagnostic expertise and technology,” Dr. Michael P. Recht, chair of the Department of Radiology at NYU Langone, wrote in the press release.
“This new location advances our mission to deliver the best imaging care in the world to patients right in their own neighborhood,” Dr. Oren Cahlon, executive vice president and chief clinical officer at NYU Langone Health wrote. Gracious Home, which closed in 2016, in was the last full- time tenant in the space.
Edith’s Sandwich Counter has signed a lease on the space formerly occupied by Francesco Pizzeria on Columbus Avenue.
Edith’s Sandwich Counter, a sandwich shop specializing in Jewish comfort food, is coming to 186 Columbus Avenue (between West 68th and West 69th streets). The newly signed lease is listed in CBRE Manhattan Retail Report. Edith’s Sandwich Counter was founded in 2020 by Elyssa Heller, whose Great Aunt Edith ran a Brooklyn deli in the 1950s. Originally a pandemic pop-up operating out of a pizza place in Greenpoint, N.Y., Edith’s Sandwich Counter now has three locations in NYC (in Williamsburg, Tribeca, and in the West Village). The menu features a variety of sandwiches including classic deli sandwiches, breakfast sandwiches, and wraps. The Infatuation called Edith’s Sephardi Breakfast Wrap “one of the best breakfast sandwiches in New York.” The New York Times listed Edith’s bacon,egg and cheese on a bagel as “one of the 57 sandwiches that define New York City.” We will update when we have an expected opening date. Francesco’s Pizza, which closed in July, was previously in the space.
A frozen yogurt shop will be moving into the space vacated by Corcoran Realty.
Mimi’s, an Australian frozen yogurt shop, is coming to 221 Columbus Avenue (at West 70th Street). The signed lease is listed in CBRE’s Manhattan Retail Report. The yogurt store was founded in August 2025 and has 3 other NYC locations: in Greenwich Village, Soho, and on the Upper East Side. Mimi’s uses Greek yogurt, kefir, cane sugar and locally sourced fruit in its yogurt. The existing locations are self-serve and are known for having long lines circling around the block. Mimi’s has not responded to West Side Rag’s continued outreach as of today, but we will update when we have more information and an expected opening date. (Thanks to Jacqui for the tip.)
Blank Street Coffee’s location at Broadway and West 86th Street has closed.
Blank Street Coffee, a coffee chain, closed its location at 2345 Broadway (at West 86th Street), on October 10th. Signage on the door reads, “ We’re sorry to see this location go and are so appreciative of all the love you’ve shown it—apologies for the inconvenience.” Customers are directed to the nearest UWS locations, at 80th and Columbus and at Broadway and West 91st Street. (Thanks to Christopher for the tip.)
ICYMI:
Crunch Fitness, a fitness chain, is opening a location at 2182 Broadway ( at West 78th Street.) Read West Side Rag’s coverage of this news here.
The Openings & Closings column wouldn’t be possible without our many tipsters: thank you! Anyone can send tips about openings and closings in the neighborhood to info@westsiderag.com.
