Photographs by Brian Kennnedy

Persephone
115 E. 60th St., nr. Park Ave.; 212-339-8363
Two decades ago, long before the current Greek Revival, Nicola Kotsoni and Steve Tzolis opened Periyali, the Flatiron restaurant that made its name with charcoal-grilled octopus and phyllo-wrapped salmon. Later this week, the partners expand uptown, where, with a shipment of Athenian light fixtures and Matisse prints, they’ve converted the short-lived Greek restaurant Retsina into Persephone. Periyali chef James Henderson will oversee this kitchen as well, orchestrating a menu full of classics like Greek meatballs in tomato sauce and yogurt, the requisite pikilia-spread sampler, and seafood prepared somewhat in the traditional manner of lamb yiouvetsi, with orzo in a saffron tomato broth (pictured). And where Retsina specialized in that resin-flavored oenological oddity for which it was named, Persephone will offer a full Greek wine list and a selection of ouzo-based cocktails.

Greene Grape Provisions
753 Fulton St., at S. Portland Ave., Fort Greene; 718-233-2700
At their Fort Greene wineshop Greene Grape, partners Amy Bennett and Jason Richelson specialize in small producers and “handcrafted” wine. This week, in a canny attempt to fulfill the rest of your dinner-table needs, they’ll open Greene Grape Provisions, a gourmet grocery up the block. Here, as in many of the borough’s new breed of ecofriendly, regionally stocked mini-marts, the catchphrase is “organic, natural, and local where possible,” according to Bennett, who plans to apply the philosophy to all the basics: produce, cheese, Balthazar pastries, Wild Edibles fish, and sustainably raised beef and chicken from upstate New York.

AND… Dean’s, the pizzeria loosely affiliated with Patsy’s, Angelo’s, and Nick’s, spawns a Tribeca outpost this week, with an Italian menu and its signature Grandma pie (349 Greenwich St., nr. Harrison St.; 212-966-3200) … At the new Duane Street Hotel, the “living room”–like ’Beca Restaurant has opened for breakfast (“prosciutto Benedict”) and lunch (Kobe burger)—dinner coming soon (130 Duane St., at Church St.; 212-964-4600) … “Angry Wade” Hagenbart has opened his second Brooklyn bar, Dram Shop, with an emphasis on bourbon and Scotch, a shuffleboard table, and a Mexican-accented pub-grub menu (339 9th St., nr. Fifth Ave., Park Slope; 718-788-1444) … City Girl Café is Soho’s newest source for freshly brewed Counter Culture Coffee and house-baked pastries (63 Thompson St., nr. Broome St.; 212-343-0110)

Related:

• Archive: “Food Features”
• Articles by Robin Raisfeld | Rob Patronite
• Table of Contents: Jan 21, 2008 issue of New York | Subscribe!