A 52-Year-Old West Village Restaurant Is Closing
A longtime West Village restaurant is closing this upcoming weekend: Elephant & Castle will have its last day at 68 Greenwich Avenue, near West 11th Street, on Sunday, August 17.
Elephant's regulars have been flooding the restaurant's Instagram announcement post, sharing condolences and memories of the neighborhood restaurant. It had been known for its weekend brunch service with all sorts of eggs Benedicts and omelets, as well as its burgers, sandwiches, and crepes.
Schwarz was from Germany — he and his family left the country during World War II, and he eventually made his way to America and worked as a doctor at St. Vincent's hospital. After opening Elephant, he had other restaurants around the city too, such as the also-longtime casual American and Chinese cafe, Noho Star, and cocktail spot Temple Bar (both of which shuttered in 2017). He also reopened and revitalized Keens Steakhouse in the 1970s. He died in 2016.
Since then, chef Gary Kuschnereit (who has worked in the kitchen since 1988) and long-time manager Bonnie Jenkins — who was behind Keens when it sold — have been steering the restaurant.
It's unclear why the restaurant is closing now and what will happen to the space. Eater has reached out for more information.
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