Cafe Claude will soon have a new sibling and neighbor in Gitane, which is replacing Blupointe and using a new entrance at 6 Claude Lane. Its name means "gypsy," a nod to the menu's Southern Med influences, to be served amid funky-chic, circa-1960s decor. The space will also boast a heated enclosed patio.
South Beach will get a taste of Down Under when South, an Aussie-backed food-and-wine bar (330 Townsend St.), opens this fall. Luke Mangan, chef-owner of Glass Brasserie in the Hilton Sydney, will turn out authentic fare such as green-lipped mussels, barramundi fish, oysters, grass-fed sirloin and Kiwi lamb, while the decor will similarly reflect the bar’s provenance, with lots of jarrah (eucalyptus) and modern artwork.
The folks behind the popular A 16 have scooped up the former Chez Nous space (1911 Fillmore) and plan to transform it into the casual S.P.Q.R. Osteria, named after the ancient moniker of the Roman republic, by mid-July. A 16 chef Nate Appleman will share the cooking duties with Daniel Holzman (ex Campton Place), dishing out rustic Roman fare with a focus on antipasti, fried items and pasta.
Ubuntu, which means “humanity towards others” in Zulu, is slated to open in late summer in downtown Napa (1146 Main St.). An all-day cafe, it will serve an eclectic array of affordable vegetarian and vegan cuisine – with some ingredients coming from the restaurant's own organic garden – as well as sustainably farmed wines. The owners also plan to open a yoga studio on the upstairs mezzanine.