West Village Pizza Joint Shutters After 11 Years Of Service

WEST VILLAGE, NY — A pizzeria that has served up pies in the West Village for more than a decade announced it has made the "strategic decision to permanently close" its neighborhood location.

Ownership of Keste Bleecker Street at 271 Bleecker Street sent a letter to customers and friends on Monday.

"We cannot thank our incredible guests and friends enough for supporting us over these many wonderful years," executive chef and owner Roberto Caporuscio wrote in a letter. "During our unbelievable journey, Keste Bleecker employed 366 people and paid $2.6 million in rent."

While Keste is closing its location in the West Village, it will keep its larger restaurant running in the Financial District.

"After more than 11 years in business in the original Keste location, it's bittersweet to leave behind us, but necessary. The much smaller of the two Kestes — reduced to delivery and shipping service, 3 outdoor tables occupying a narrow storefront and what would have been 25 percent capacity 11 indoor tables, the financials did not make sense for us," Caporuscio wrote.

Caporuscio also mentioned that the landlord at the West Village location refused to work together on any rent relief solution.

Keste Fulton in the Financial District is currently opening for lunch and dinner indoors and outdoors at 66 Gold Street. The Lower Manhattan location will also still be able to deliver food to customers in the West Village.

"So many people embraced us that not only was the location able to succeed for 11 years, but it led to the better-known and larger Keste Fulton Street location where we look forward to continuing to serve you now and into the future," Caporuscio wrote.

The Keste restaurant journey continues in Manhattan, but the West Village location joins an ever-growing list of eateries in the neighborhood to close in the last few months due to losses from the coronavirus pandemic.

This article originally appeared on the West Village Patch