New Kid on the Block: All Good Things

As you may have read somewhere, All Good Things opens tomorrow (Saturday) at 7 a.m. I’m actually going away for the weekend, so I popped in this morning to take photos of whatever was ready. There were a few skeptics when the project was announced, but I have to say, it’s pretty impressive—the space is stunning, with vaulted ceilings painted gold, windows in the back, and a remarkable patina of age. (That founder Kyle Wittels is an interior designer comes as no surprise.) It feels absolutely right, like something that someone should have done years ago, and that will probably be recreated in other neighborhoods.

There’s potential for a bottleneck at the entrance, especially if strollers are brought in and Blue Bottle Coffee—on the left as you enter, just past Polux Fleuriste‘s pretty area—proves as popular as it seems destined to be. Then the space widens a bit, and if the other independent vendors I’ve already profiled—Dickson’s Farmstand Meats, Blue Marble Ice Cream, Nunu Chocolates, Orwasher’s Bakery—don’t have as much room as they’re used to, it all feels rich enough. Besides, a market should feel bustling.

I couldn’t preview Cavaniola’s Gourmet because, while I’ll go to Brooklyn and the Upper East Side for you, I draw the line well before Suffolk County. Cavaniola’s, in Sag Harbor, is the Hamptons’ premiere cheese-and-more shop. If its stall is any indication, there’s more than enough room to keep shoppers thrilled. (Cavaniola’s, for instance, is selling more than cheese—including charcuterie, honey, jams, and farm-fresh eggs.)

The seafood stall, meanwhile, is an in-house affair: All Good Things Seafood is curated by Ryan Tate, chef of the restaurant (Le Restaurant) scheduled to open downstairs in about a month. “I’m working with multiple sources,” says Tate, “people I’ve worked with in the past.” A few include Sea to Table (which connects with fishermen with chefs and markets—the fishermen pack the seafood and ship it directly), North Rip Trading Company (which goes to the Fulton Fish Market), and Pierless Fish Corp. Besides raw seafood, Tate is making prepared foods such as ceviches, crudos, and lobster salad, as well as an ever-changing line-up of sandwiches and soups. “I don’t like to do the same thing twice,” he says.

Tate also oversees All Good Things Produce. The offerings are seasonal and local, when possible. “We’ll get the best pineapple wherever it’s from,” he says. “We’ll buy a flat to use in the restaurant and sell it here.” His hope is that they’ll be able to share online news about what they’re especially excited about. (Michigan pawpaw season is evidently on the horizon.) There are also some grains and beans. “Anything we’re cooking with downstairs, you can find it here,” says founder Wittels. They’ll even eventually sell the same glassware and home accessories that are used in the restaurant.

Finally, the market also has a small standing bar, which will stay open till 1 a.m., serving small plates—oysters, ceviches, and so on. There are plans for vendor collaborations, such as a beer-and-cheese night or a chocolate-and-wine event.

Here are a bunch of photos, mostly of Cavaniola’s because I didn’t profile it, and also because its stall was the most photographable. (Blue Bottle’s was ready, too, but they seemed to be training. By the way, one-time Compose pastry chef, Micah Phillips, whom many of you admired, will be the head barista.)

All Good Things is at 102 Franklin (between W. Broadway and Church), 212-966-3663; allgoodthingsny.com. The market will be open 7 a.m.–10 p.m. daily (the bar will stay open and serve small plates till 1 a.m.).

Recent New Kid on the Block/First Impressions articles:
55 Fulton Market by Key Food
Manhattan Proper Bar & Social Club
Atrio
Saluggi’s Sandwich Shoppe
Duxiana
Aire Ancient Baths
Demi Monde
Maslow 6 Wine Bar
Salvatore Barber Shop

 

3 Comments

  1. SWEET i can’t wait! thank you for the pictures!!! those jams look to die for.

  2. “All Good Things Seafood is curated by Ryan Tate, chef of the restaurant (Le Restaurant) scheduled to open downstairs in about a month.”

    Gee, I was hoping this would be a place to buy food, but I guess it’s only for display. Curated, FFS??? Please, Erik, for the sake of good writing, keep away from that trendy BS.

    Actually, I do hope to check it out, assuming I can get past the jammed-up double-wide strollers.

  3. This looks awesome. I cant wait.