This space is all grown up!
The landmarked former Childs restaurant building on the Boardwalk will reopen Sunday as a massive food hall with “locally sourced” grub and plenty of Coney charm. The city recreated the crumbling structure at W. 21st Street as a high-end eatery dubbed Kitchen 21 that takes Boardwalk noshisg and flare of the People’s Playground to another level, said one community leader who fought to landmark the Spanish revival building.
“I sampled some incredibly delicious food that I can’t believe is in Coney Island,” said Dick Zigun, the unofficial mayor — and aspiring emperor — of Sodom by the Sea. “I’m in marvel that it has the vintage authenticity of a place like Gargiulo’s that has been there for 100 years when it’s been open for a couple of days.”
The grand opening comes on the heels of the Airbnb Brooklyn Half Marathon that kicks off at 7 am and ends on the Boardwalk a short ways off from Kitchen 21. And runners who reward themselves with a visit get a voucher for 21 percent off their next visit.
The seaside food hall packs five eateries under one roof. Beach-goers can pickup made-to-order sandwiches and salads from The Cafe, dig into a seafood extravaganza at the Community Clam Bar, sun bath on the Boardwalk & Vine rooftop wine bar, and get a classy sit-down meal at the Test Kitchen — which will feature a rotation of celebrity chefs from Brooklyn and beyond who will serve experimental dishes.
And the Parachute Bar runs the length of the joint with 32 beers and a variety of Brooklyn-themed cocktails including the Not Your Father’s Egg Cream with Sunset Park’s Industry Vodka and chocolate syrup, the Brooklyn 75 with gin by Greenpoint’s Green Hook Ginsmith, and the Coney Island Fizz with vodka, saint germain, and lime.
An open floor plan encourages restaurant-goers to mingle and offers a seamless flow from one station to the next. Local conservationists restored or replicated the vibrant arches, mosaics, and nautical terra-cotta features in a $60-million project spearheaded by the city’s Economic Development Cooperation.
Behind the restaurant sits the Ford Amphitheater and a series of garage-like doors separate the spaces that mangers aim to raise for a dinner and show experience come winter. The venue also plans to offer picnic baskets for customers to cram with food before heading out for a day of summer fun, said officials.
Kitchen 21 [3052 West 21st Street in Coney Island, (718) 954–9801, www.kitch
