Picture: Oset Babür-Winter
All of downtown Manhattan awoke this morning to some troubling information: In a single day, the New York State Division of Taxation and Finance had seized Dimes Sq. Greek mainstay Kiki’s. “Earlier than there was Dimes Sq.,” wrote one commenter, “there was Kiki’s….”
Homeowners haven’t responded to a number of makes an attempt to get in contact, however in keeping with the publicly out there data from NYS, 12 separate tax warrants are open for Chinatown Greek Meals Companies, an LLC that features Kiki’s, with excellent balances that whole $1,064,793.25. There are, moreover, excellent personal-income taxes from one of many LLC’s house owners, Pavlos Sierros, and separate warrants with a steadiness totaling $195,679.48 have been filed in opposition to one other proprietor, Kiki Karamintzas. (Kiki’s neighboring sister restaurant, Forgtmenot, seems to be unaffected by the closure, which is nice information for anybody planning to look at the World Cup there.)
By noon, the bright-orange seizure flyers across the restaurant’s exterior have been accompanied by cheerful, all-caps hand-drawn posters studying, “Kiki’s open throughout the road,” in addition to no less than one plea: “Mamdani please assist them!!!
Momentary or in any other case, the closure hasn’t affected enterprise: Visitors had no hassle migrating to the unmarked Kiki’s annex throughout the road and appeared wholly unbothered by the ordeal throughout lunch service with bowls of feta and cucumber salad and Greek fries on most tables. When requested for remark, the employees, who appeared unaware of what was taking place on the primary Kiki’s, merely responded, “We’re open” — as in, right here — “throughout the road.” (Additionally they declined to supply any perception into whether or not the closure can be momentary.)
However as one neighborhood native defined, “This has at all times been the overflow area for Kiki’s, it was truly their unique location. For those who come from Thursday by Sunday, that is the place persons are at.”
Relying on how issues shake out on the primary location, it is likely to be the place the persons are completely, however response to the closing information has been combined on-line: “Was by no means a fan of the place: very small parts for the value. Went with a gaggle however wanted to order extra meals so we obtained their meat platter which was 75% fries and pita and barely any protein,” wrote one Reddit consumer.
One other responded, “I’ve discovered the precise reverse to be true — I’ve by no means actually beloved the meals, however at all times discovered the costs cheap and have by no means felt ripped off. Hell, you possibly can nonetheless get a sub-$30 liter of wine in 2026.” Perhaps not for lengthy: Sure, you may get the identical souvlaki and saganaki in a barely totally different setting, however these costs may need to bump up a bit to cowl these taxes.
Picture: Oset Babür-Winter
