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Community Board 7 met Tuesday for its Business & Consumer Issues Committee meeting, where it reviewed liquor license applications and sidewalk cafe permits. We learned during the meeting that Mark Barak, the owner of La Pecora Bianca, is planning to open its second restaurant on the Upper West Side – which will be its seventh in the city.
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The first Upper West Side location opened in 2022 at 359 Columbus Avenue (77th Street), a space that had briefly been home to 8th Hill following Isabella’s thirty-year run.
Now, Barak says he’s planning to take over the space on 62nd and Columbus which has been home to Rosa Mexicano for close to 25 years, according to this 2000 review by The New York Times.
“They’re actually out of term right now,” Barak explained to the board. “They’re in holdover technically, so the landlord is working on getting them out.”
Barak continued, “I think their plan is to have them operate through the end of the year, assuming they can reach an agreement. So I think we’re getting possession in January or February.” He said they would likely open the new restaurant towards the later part of 2025.
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We reached out to Rosa Mexicano via social media and when we asked if their Lincoln Center location was closing, the person who manages their Instagram simply replied with “No.” We followed up with a bit more context and they told us it was the first they were hearing about it.
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Community Board 7 members were all happy with Barak’s plans, giving him the unanimous green light to proceed with next steps.
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La Pecora Bianca’s menu features house-made pastas which can be supplemented with burrata; signature dishes include its Gramigna with sausage and broccolini and Tagliatelle with beef and pork bolognese. Mains include a branzino, tuna, scallops, ribeye and pork chop, and desserts include Tiramisu, Olive Oil Cake, Chocolate Hazelnut Budino and Gelati / Sorbetti.
Gramigna — $26 on the UWS menu (c/o La Pecora Bianca)
La Pecora Bianca means “the white sheep” in Italian, and the owners have designed the restaurants to offer a “relaxed, all-day dining experience and vibrant Italian fare in a beautiful setting.”
The location at 359 Columbus Ave. has a Google score of 4.3 and a Yelp score of 4 (out of 5 stars).
We’ll provide updates as we learn more.
This is so stupid. There are so many Italian places nearby that are far better and this place wants to open a second location so close to another? They must be pretty full of themselves… displacing a restaurant that’s been in that location for 25 years is not a good look either. As someone who lives nearby we will be happy to skip this new place for ones that have been in the hood longer and are far more delicious.
AuntirM,
You seem to be mad at them because either Rosa Mexican a has chosen to not renew their lease or the landlord has chosen not to give them a new one. In either case it isn’t the fault of the next tenant.
I wholeheartedly agree. I was unimpressed with La Pecora’s food. It’s crazy what’s happening.
Please please stay Rosa!!!! We love you!!!! Rosa is one of the few restaurants in this neighborhood to get trusted and delicious Gluten Free food!!! What we dont need is another Italian eatery.
Just FYI, if Rosa leaves and La Pecora does open, it has excellent gluten-free pasta. My daughter has Celiac and we go there all the time.
Nice to know, but I have not seen them mentioned on any of the celiac social media groups. I looked up the menu and they don’t list anything as GF. I will check them out, always looking for new places. But we love Rosa Mexicana and we also like having variety of restaurant choices. Rosa is extremely popular with the before Theatre crowd too.
Yeah, not saying we need another La Pecora, but if it happens, it happens. There are reviews of the UWS location here: https://www.findmeglutenfree.com/biz/la-pecora-bianca/6481401564758016
How many Italian restaurants to we need in the UWS? We are fully saturated, and this is kind early for La Pecora Bianca to already open a second location in the area, when they can barely fill the space at 77th on a regular basis.
Rosa is packed every afternoon and evening, and they deny to the reporter that they are closing. Something doesn’t make sense.
I would definitely miss Rosa–hope they find a new location!
I love Rosa Mexicana. I hope they find another space in the neighborhood.
4.3 Google review isn’t that impressive. Haven’t made it there yet but losin Rosa would be a huge blow to the neighborhood.
Italian food is the cheapest and easiest food to make compared to other cuisines but they charge as much. Bring back Isabella to 77th St, I miss her!!!
Rosa is going bankrupt and owes employees and vendors significant amounts of money. Shamefully, 100s of minimum wage employees there are not getting paid for their hard work. Them leaving the space has nothing to do with whoever the new tenant may be!