Tiengarden Vegan Restaurant Closes Today After 20 Years on the LES
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In which the Lower East Side loses yet another longstanding restaurant. Hell Square has no love for Tiengarden.
Indeed, news came down the pike that Tiengarden, the vegan restaurant at 170 Allen Street, is closing after business today. Thus concludes two decades for the establishment in this neighborhood. An overall lack of foot traffic on the block is blamed for the closure, a sure paradox given how crowded this area is. And, of course, the constant construction on the Orchard Street Hotel over the last decade couldn’t have helped the bottom line.
UPDATE: DNAinfo reports that a rent hike is also to blame. The landlord raised the rent to $10,000 per month.
Ironically, word first broke via Cake Shop, itself a business perpetually fighting for its survival around the corner on Ludlow Street.
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In retrospect, the first signs of demise arrived a couple years ago, when the establishment underwent a substantial makeover on premise. The entire Tiengarden footprint was gutted and reimagined back in early 2013. A glassy antiseptic feel took over the former neighborhood vibe the establishment had carried.
Tiengarden’s sandwich board outside carries this farewell, chalked in cursive:
Sadly after 20 years of serving our customers and community delicious home cooked food, we have made the difficult decision to close our doors.
We would like to thank you for your continued support and patronage during our time here. We will miss you but still love you!!
Tiengarden Family
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