Castellano & Bolla Planning “Kosher Restaurant” for 171 East Broadway
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In days of yore, the opening of a new Kosher restaurant on the Lower East Side would not have been huge news. After all, Jews and the neighborhood went hand in hand. But with that cultural footprint quickly becoming footnote, it’s no doubt a headline. Such is the case with 171 East Broadway, where plans are in the works for an ambiguous “Kosher restaurant.” This storefront most recently played host to pop-up dining concept Limited Time Only.
Spearheading the effort is Madison Jackson developer Michael Bolla, who is single-handedly angling for the cultural restoration of Jewish Lower East Side. He enlisted longtime business partner Ron Castellano for the endeavor. The local architect, whose conversion credits include the Jewish Forward Building and the forthcoming Jarmulowsky Bank hotel, spent $1.5 million restoring the space. Both are now on the prowl for potential investors and operators.
Back in the day, 171 East Broadway hosted the iconic Kosher vegetarian huant, Schildkraut. Founded by Sadie Schildkraut in the early 20th Century, the eatery specialized in “vegetable meats of excellent taste and quality and easily digestible.” By the 1930s, this mini-chain boasted fifteen locations around town.
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