As One Utica Eatery Closes For Good, Another Prepares Grand Opening Next Week

Downtown Utica's ongoing facelift is just days away from welcoming new food option to the city; while in South Utica, a longtime restaurant is being demolished to make way for its new tenant.

Brooklyn Pickle makes its Utica debut this coming Monday morning, opening at 10:00 a.m. to the public for the first time with an official grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony set for 11:30a.m. It is located at 600 State Street in the former Utica Steam Cotton Building, in the shadow of the new Wynn hospital downtown (still being constructed).

The specialty sub shop's menu "will be very similar to our three Syracuse locations. In addition to giant sandwiches, subs, soups and desserts, customers will enjoy daily specials including Friday mac-and-cheese and, of course, Brooklyn Pickle’s signature pickles," says owner and President Craig Kowadla.

One difference, however, is that Utica's Brooklyn Pickle location will be their first shop to also sell beer, Kowadla said.

In South Utica, demolition has begun at the former Raspberries Cafe of Utica, located at 2634 Genesee Street. In the included photos of the ongoing demo-work, you can see the building roof has been entirely ripped off and some of the walls torn down.

The property was purchased by Stewart's Shops and will soon be home to a new Stewart's Shops gas station and convenience store.

Those who loved to grab a meal at the once popular Utica Raspberries location can still enjoy their food as Raspberries Cafe of New Hartford, at 4784 Commercial Drive, remains open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.