The popular Upper East Side ceviche restaurant is finally coming down to Union Square.
Mission Ceviche is a beloved new ceviche restaurant from owners Jose Luis Chavez and Brice Mastroluca that is dedicated to showcasing the flavors and dishes of Peru. Chef Chavez has been cooking for nearly his entire life, beginning his career in the kitchen at a restaurant in Merida, Venezuela. Within a year, he found himself visiting Peru, his father’s homeland, and enrolling in culinary school there after falling in love with the country’s incredibly diverse cuisine. Mastoluca meanwhile studied culinary and restaurant management at one of France’s most prestigious hospitality management schools, and has worked in some of the city’s most recognizable spots, including Morton’s, China White, and Jean George’s The Mark of New York.
Together, the two launched Mission Ceviche in 2019 at 1400 Second Avenue. Shortly after launching, the restaurant found immediate critical success, earning a star from the New York Times and a feature in the Michelin Guide. The restaurant’s team even represented Peruvian cuisine at the prestigious Food & Wine Festivals in New York, and Chef Chavez personally created the menu for Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs 30th-anniversary dinner.
Now, Mastroluca and Chef Chavez are gearing up to debut Mission Ceviche’s first-ever expansion. According to the New York Post, the team has just signed a lease for a brand-new space at 5 East 17th Street, between Fifth Avenue and Broadway. Featuring an impressive 11,000 square feet of space, the location previously housed Union Fare Restaurant, a contemporary marketplace with two iconic bars that sadly shut down in 2018.
The new expansion marks a significant step in Mission Ceviche’s growth, which began as a small stall in Gansevoort Market and is now known as one of the city’s finest cebiche spots. Once open, the new location will introduce a brand new neighborhood to Chef Chavez’s culinary philosophy, which is an homage to the Peruvian tradition of gathering together over exquisite meals, and sharing food and drinks while making unforgettable memories. The team has not yet indicated when they intend to open their new expansion, but you can follow Mission Ceviche on Instagram for regular updates on all of the team’s latest endeavors.
