Greenpoint Restaurant Closes After Fire

GREENPOINT— Sereneco, an Italian restaurant between Greenpoint Avenue and Kent Street, has closed indefinitely after a fire caused major damage to the building, putting its employees out of work while the restaurant’s future remains uncertain.

The fire broke out on the second floor, and 79 FDNY and EMS personnel responded to the scene.

Crews contained the fire by 12:35 p.m.

Owner Billy Van Dolsen said the closure could last months as he works through the insurance process and plans for the restaurant’s eventual reopening.

“Thank you for showing up for a place, and a group of people, that have tried to show up for this neighborhood," Van Dolsen wrote.

In the meantime, Van Dolsen launched a fundraiser specifically for the people who worked there. The money will not go toward repairing Sereneco.

“The rebuild is mine to figure out with insurance,” Van Dolsen wrote. “This is about the people who poured themselves into this place, so they’re supported while we’re closed.”

Sereneco opened in Greenpoint as a 70-seat neighborhood restaurant built by Van Dolsen, a longtime Greenpoint resident.

He had considered the 113 Franklin St. space as a potential restaurant site as early as 2018, and later signed the lease in 2021.

The corner space featured high ceilings, large windows, skylights and a 13-seat white oak bar.

The menu was designed to appeal to both regulars and first-time diners, with dishes that included roasted chicken with crispy fingerling potatoes, pecorino Romano and salsa verde, as well as grilled prawns, seared Arctic char, braised short rib and a veggie burger.

The restaurant sourced ingredients from local businesses, including Greenpoint Fish & Lobster Co.

Before opening the restaurant, Van Dolsen completed 300 hours of meditation training and attended silent retreats, experiences that shaped his approach to managing the pressures of the hospitality industry.

His goal is to have the same employees return when the restaurant eventually reopens.

Van Dolsen is also asking businesses that are hiring to consider Sereneco employees while the restaurant remains closed.

“If you’re hiring and could use extraordinary people, reach out to me directly, I’ll vouch for every single one of them,” he wrote.

Customers and neighbors who want to help Sereneco’s employees can donate to the “Support Sereneco Staff After the Fire” fundraiser here.