Italian Eatery Opens Shop in Village

The Village Krust to take storefront on Second Avenue.

An Italian restaurant that specializes in brick oven pizza is setting up shop in the East Village. Restaurateur Alex Alexopoulos signed a 12-year lease for 2,300 square feet of space at 157 Second Ave., between East 9th and East 10th streets. The asking rent was $145 per square foot.

The new restaurant, The Village Krust, is moving into the former home of Café Brama. The restaurant will take up the entire 1,300-square-foot ground floor, plus 1,000 square feet of basement space. Mr. Alexopoulos said his eatery will be a family-style restaurant that serves “whole pies, no individual slices,” and also offers pastas, salads and drinks from a small bar. There will also be a sidewalk café during the summer.

Although this is the new pizzeria’s first location, Mr. Alexopoulos hopes to open an additional restaurant within the next 12 months. “One thing at a time,” he said.

“The location is probably one of the best in the East Village in terms of visibility and density of traffic,” said Sinvin Realty managing director STEVE RAPPAPORT, who represented the tenant during the transaction. “I placed 16 Handles frozen yogurt on the same block two years ago and they have a fabulous business now.”
The owner of the property, Jonis Realty, represented themselves in the deal.