Beloved Bistro Vanishes From Park Slope Block After 14 Years

PARK SLOPE, NY — Park Slope diners were left mourning last week after another neighborhood classic shut its doors for good.

Pure Bistro, located at 88 Fifth Avenue between St. Marks Place and Warren Street, officially closed its doors to the public on Feb. 25, capping a 14-year run.

"This farewell comes sooner than we had hoped for. Our lease has come to an end, and despite our best efforts, we weren't able to secure a renewal," read a note posted on the front door announcing the closure. "It's a practical reason, but the emotions behind it are anything but simple."

Pure Bistro, best known for its healthy twist on casual American fare, drew praise from local residents for affordable, nourishing options.

Menu items ranged from breakfast staples like waffles, omelets, and morning wraps to fresh fruit juices and smoothies. The lunch menu spotlighted sandwiches and burgers crafted from organic, hormone-free, antibiotic-free, grass-fed beef and free-range chicken.

Pure Bistro's closure comes on the heels of two other Fifth Avenue staples: Alchemy, a nearly 20-year neighborhood fixture opened in 2007 by the Read family (also behind Hilltop Tavern and Hamilton’s), shut its doors at the year's start.

More recently, Julien Boulangerie—a French bakery chain with four citywide locations—abruptly shuttered all shops with little warning.

The Park Slope outpost at 186 Fifth Ave. (between Sackett and Degraw streets) became a neighborhood staple after opening in late 2020. It expanded to the Upper East Side in 2021 at 1375 Madison Ave., followed by 1431 York Ave. and 1247 Third Ave.

"Closing our doors isn't just the end of a business for us—it feels like saying farewell to a family we were lucky enough to choose," Pure Bistro's owners wrote. "We hope that when you think of us, you remember not just the food, but the feeling of being welcomed, known, and appreciated. That's what we'll remember about you."