Upper West Side and Manhattan Restaurant and Retail Updates: Closings, Openings, and Rebrands

The Manhattan retail and dining scene continues to evolve, with several notable changes on the Upper West Side, and beyond. Here’s a rundown of recent openings, closings, and rebrands as of March 26, 2026.

Pastrami Queen Temporarily Closed for Repairs

Pastrami Queen, a popular kosher deli, has temporarily closed its location at 138 West 72nd Street (between Amsterdam and Columbus avenues) due to emergency repairs. According to signage and an Instagram post, the deli aims to reopen as soon as repairs are completed. Customers can still enjoy Pastrami Queen at its other Manhattan locations:

• Upper East Side: 1125 Lexington Ave #2 (Kosher)
• Moynihan Train Food Hall: 421 8th Ave

The Upper East Side location offers delivery service to the Upper West Side.

Aves Transforms into Dong Lai Pavilion

Aves, formerly a Thai and Asian fusion restaurant at 102 West 86th Street, has been rebranded as Dong Lai Pavilion. The restaurant now serves Northern Chinese cuisine, including dim sum, Peking duck, and other classic dishes. Dong Lai Pavilion is open seven days a week from 11:30 a.m. To 9:30 p.m. A fresh website is currently under development.

Effy’s Cafe Expands on the Upper West Side

Effy’s Cafe, offering kosher Mediterranean fare, opened a new location on March 25th at 552 Columbus Avenue (between West 86th and West 87th streets). The cafe is open daily from 8 a.m. To 5 p.m. and features a menu of omelettes, wraps, shawarma, salads, and falafel. Effy’s too has existing locations at 104 West 96th Street and 1688 York Avenue.

M.M. LaFleur Closes Upper West Side Store

M.M. LaFleur, a women’s clothing store at 182A Columbus Avenue, closed its doors on March 29th. The company decided not to renew its lease, according to a store clerk. The Bryant Park location will remain open. The Upper West Side store originally opened in March 2023.

Long-Standing UPS Store to Close

The UPS Store at 119 West 72nd Street is closing on April 6th after more than 30 years in operation. The closure is attributed to rising rent costs, as detailed in a letter to customers. Packages and mail will be forwarded to the UPS store at 2218 Broadway.

Pho Broadway Opens on Broadway

Pho Broadway, a Vietnamese restaurant, opened on March 17th at 2058 Broadway (between West 70th and 71st streets). The restaurant is open seven days a week from 11:30 a.m. To 9 p.m. and serves pho, spring rolls, and other Vietnamese specialties. This is the eleventh Pho location in New York City.

Texas Rotisserie & Grill Closes Doors

Texas Rotisserie & Grill, a barbecue restaurant at 2581 Broadway, closed on March 21st. The closure is due to financial pressures, including increased rent. The restaurant had been in operation for over 30 years.

School of Math Opens on West 79th Street

School of Math, a math learning center for students in grades 2-12, opened on March 23rd at 226 West 79th Street. Founded by Marcelo Ramos and Vivianne Wright, the center aims to provide in-depth math instruction and test preparation. The space was previously occupied by Elie Tanous hair salon.