Visual artist Zipora Fried stepped out of her studio to last week to open Kinski, a Czech-Austrian coffee shop and eatery located in a former video store on Rivington Street. “I wanted to do something more straightforward,” she told Grub Street. “It’s kind of a lonely job to be in the studio and do your art; it’s in your imagination, and it’s very hard to say ‘good or bad, important or not important.’ With food, you can say if it tastes good or not.” Pastry chef Nobue Takahashi is also an artist, and the kitchen and counter staff are made up of Fried’s designer and artist friends.
Israeli-born and of Austrian heritage, Fried chose the name Kinski for its evocation of both the Palais Kinski in Vienna and Klaus Kinski (the actor). The menu is comprised of things she missed eating and drinking: coffee by Julius Meinl, a popular Austrian brand, and — coming soon — Viennese-style drinks like einspänner (coffee with whipped cream) and kleiner brauner (coffee with cream). The food menu features knödel, a round dumpling that can be served sweet or savory; sandwiches made on Austrian breads; traditional Austrian baked goods; and weekend brunch. The shop’s single room has a pared-down aesthetic: plywood-covered walls and floors, a large communal wooden table, and mismatched chairs are meant to suggest an urban riff on the traditional Austrian mountain lodge. There’s Wi-Fi for now, though it may not be permanent. Hours are Sunday through Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Thursday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. See the full menu, below.
Sweet Knödel
Apricot knödel (marillenknödel)
with vanilla sauce and whipped cream, $8
Nougat knödel (nougatknödel)
with raspberry sauce and whipped cream, $8
Raspberry knödel (himbeerknödel)
with chocolate sauce and whipped cream, $8
Savory Knödel
Bread knödel (semmelknödel)
with mushroom sauce and a small salad, $8.50
with gulash and a small salad, $12
Open-face sandwiches
Sunflower bread with speck and dried figs, $7.50
Dark bread with butter, honey, and crisp apple, $4.50
Cranberry nut bread with goat cheese and fresh herbs, $7.50
Dark bread with butter, salami, and sweet mustard, $7.50
Sunflower bread with butter, Jarlsberg cheese, and pickles, $7.50
Soup of the day, vegetarian, non-vegetarian, $5.50
Weekend Brunch Special
Two soft-boiled eggs with dark bread, butter, fresh herbs, buttermilk, $9
Emperor’s pancake (kaiserschmarren) with plum preserves, $8
Bread dumpling omelet with small salad, $9
Decadent French toast with sweet poppy loaf, $9
Cakes of the Week
Cardamon, pumpkin, poppy loaf, $3.50
Tarts of the Week
Apple, quince, linzer, pear, kumquat, sweet potato, $4.50
We are taking orders for tarts and cakes for the holidays, $24
Vanilla crescents, 1/2 lb., $6
Coffee
Espresso, $1.90
Double Espresso, $2.70
Americano, $2.00
Macchiato, $2.30
Latte, $3.50
Cappuccino, $3.50
Hot Nutella drink, $3.75
Buttermilk, $2.50
Fresh lemonade (with mint), $2.70
Kinski, 128 Rivington St., nr. Norfolk St.; 646-270-9733
