Graffiti Social Kitchen in the Battery Park Neighborhood is Closed

Following yesterday’s Sunday brunch service, Graffiti Social Kitchen (1261 W. 76th St.) closed its doors. The restaurant, operated by Brian Okin and Adam Bostwick, took over the former Reddstone space in Detroit Shoreway just under three years ago. The reasons behind the closure are two-fold, the owner says.

“Winter is a slow season over there, so we saw that coming,” explains Okin. “But I seriously believe in our meatball concept. I don’t want to be the guy who spreads himself so thin that I don’t do it right – and it just makes sense to do it right now.”

This time last year Okin, in partnership with Stefan Was, announced plans to launch Polpetta at Porco, a meatball-themed concept that operates within the four walls of Porco Lounge and Tiki Room. The team greatly improved the small bar kitchen to accommodate the new concept. From the start, the aim was to establish proof of concept and grow from there.

“Obviously, the Porco kitchen is small and the focus there isn’t the food,” Okin adds. “It was a way to test and perfect the concept for future brick-and-mortar locations. With Cork and Cleaver and Dinner in the Dark, we couldn’t physically be at Porco that often. We want to change that as we move forward with that concept.”

Plans already are in the works to open that brick-and-mortar location, notes Okin, which might happen in the coming weeks or months.

The timing also corresponds with Cork and Cleaver’s busiest time of year, Okin explains, as that suburban eatery picks up in the cooler months as residents tend to stay closer to home.