Over the weekend, Gaia Bagnasacco posted on Facebook that her well-loved LES neighborhood staple Gaia was “closing probably forever,” along with instructions to “give a call to see if we are still on premises.” The Lo-Down did Bagnasacco one better today and visited the café, only to learn the whole story: The chef and owner cites “recent conflicts with customers, people who she said have different expectations for the restaurant than she has herself” as the reason for the possible, imminent closure.
The tiny, personal restaurant is exactly the sort of small, neighborly place prone to disappearing into the tide of construction and big-box, newcomer restaurants on the Lower East Side, which is what makes the outpouring of support that followed Bagnasacco’s announcement all the more touching. (Also, today’s enigmatic Facebook post is not the kind of thing you get from megaclubs on the Bowery.) Stay tuned, fans of underdogs everywhere, and don’t hesitate to show your support. [The Lo-Down, Facebook]
