The popular Cuban cafe is coming back better than ever.
Cafe Cortadito was a popular Cuban cafe and restaurant that had been operating for over 18 years in the East Village. Established by husband and wife Ricardo Arias and Patricia Valencia, Cafe Cortadito earned a reputation as one of the neighborhood’s most authentic Cuban restaurants. Ricardo and Patricia had been operating their cafe successfully for decades at 210 East 3rd Street, but they were sadly forced to close down the space for good back in January. According to the couple, their landlord raised their rent from $8,000 a month to a whopping $15,000, which rendered their operation untenable.
Thankfully though, Cafe Cortadito will soon be coming back bigger and better than ever. According to East Village news site EV Grieve, Patricia and Ricardo have acquired the space at 17 Avenue B where they intend to relaunch their restaurant. The space was formerly home to The Cornerstone Cafe, which shut down its operation in 2021 after 10 years of success due to troubles incurred by the pandemic.
Patricia and Ricardo also have some big changes planned for the space when they finally reopen. The first change is that they will be renaming the restaurant Cantina Cubana to better reflect their menu, which is much more robust than a simple cafe. Additionally, they intend to operate the space six days a week, remaining closed on Monday.
The couple is also looking to acquire a liquor license for the space, which The Cornerstone had, and are expected to move forward with their application next month. While Arias and Valencia have not yet revealed when they intend to reopen, you can follow Cortadito on Facebook for updates on their new transition.
