Shoo Shoo, a Nolita favorite known for its fresh take on Mediterranean cuisine, is opening a second location, this one on the Upper East Side.
The new restaurant will land at the corner of East 77th Street and Second Avenue, with plans to open in early September—though, as founder and CEO Albert Bitton put it, “God laughs as we try to plan these things.”
Shoo Shoo opened in Nolita, the area north of Little Italy, in 2018 and quickly developed a loyal following downtown for its Tel Aviv-inspired dishes and warm, welcoming atmosphere. Bitton describes it as “more of a Mediterranean fusion bistro than anything else,” combining “Mediterranean hospitality with an old-school New York style.”
The Upper East Side was always the obvious choice for their expansion, Bitton told Our Town. Shoo Shoo co-founder and CFO Robby Ozer lived in the neighborhood for years, and many of their regulars were already making the trip downtown from the UES. “We’ve been hoping to open a second location for over two years,” Bitton said. “We just couldn’t find the right space.” That changed when a longtime customer tipped them off to a vacancy at 77th and Second.
The corner spot, formerly Avenue Bakery, features 100 feet of frontage on 77th and another 25 feet along Second. Construction is already underway, and Bitton says they’re aiming to re-create the feel of the original Nolita location as closely as possible and will continue the original menu.
Bitton is no stranger to the city’s business scene—past ventures include a vintage denim store, a SoHo lunch spot called Café Café, and a 21-day gut-detox program—but Shoo Shoo is something more personal.
The idea for Shoo Shoo grew out of a friendship between Bitton and Ozer. The two met by chance, became instant friends, and ended up sharing a surf shack out in Ditch Plains, Montauk. Years of riding waves and hosting dinner parties eventually turned into a shared dream of opening a “neighborhood spot” together.
“People love that the owners walk and talk and speak to the guests,” he said.
During Covid-19 lockdown, while other restaurants shut down, Shoo Shoo found a new sense of purpose as a “neighborhood spot.” The restaurant raised over $100,000 and dedicated its kitchen to feeding nurses and doctors across the city, allowing them to do good and keep staff employed. “That was a challenging but incredibly meaningful time,” Bitton said. “Our goal was simply to survive, but thanks to the amazing support from the community, we were fortunate enough to thrive. We expanded into the restaurant next door when it closed, and even built a speakeasy-style private-event space in our basement.”
The name “Shoo Shoo” sparked some confusion when news of the expansion hit the r/uppereastside subreddit. One commenter asked simply, “What’s a shoo shoo?” But in many ways, the name captures exactly what Bitton, who was born in Morocco but raised in Israel, wants the restaurant to represent.
In Hebrew, shoo shoo is a slang term for a hidden gem, but in Bitton’s native French chou-chou is a term of endearment. As he puts it, Shoo Shoo is “a cozy place you share with only those you love.”
In the co-owner’s native French, chou-chou is a term of endearment. As he puts it, Shoo Shoo is “a cozy place you share with only those you love.”