Brooklyn Pickle set for grand opening of new Utica eatery

UTICA, N.Y. — After some slight construction delays, Brooklyn Pickle is set to open its first location outside of the Syracuse area on April 17. The restaurant will mark the event with a ribbon cutting.

A few lingering supply-chain issues pushed back the opening about a month, owner Craig Kowadla says, but now the eatery is ready to welcome diners in Utica.

Along with being the first location outside of Syracuse, the Utica restaurant — located at 600 State St. in the former Utica Steam Cotton Building — will be the first location to offer beer, he notes.

“It’s kind of a natural thing,” Kowadla says of the addition, noting that he gets asked about beer a lot at the three Syracuse restaurants. With the Utica location’s proximity to downtown Utica and hockey games and other events at the Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium, “I just think beer would go well,” he says.

The Brooklyn Pickle is also near Mohawk Valley Health System’s new Wynn Hospital, opening later this year, and is located below apartments in the former Utica Steam Cotton Building. Lahinch Group of Syracuse is remodeling the 94,500-square-foot building into 64 condo units along with 20,000 square feet of retail space and parking for about 200 cars.

Brooklyn Pickle occupies 6,200 square feet of that space with an industrial vibe. The space features neon signage, exposed brick and stone, a Brooklyn Bridge wall wrap, and high-top chess and backgammon tables.

It also features a garage-style door that can open to an outdoor seating area. “It’s going to be really cool,” Kowadla says. “People like being outside.” 

Longtime employee Dan Ryan will manage the Utica restaurant, where he will oversee 20 new hires.

The Utica menu will be similar to Brooklyn Pickle’s three Syracuse locations with giant sandwiches, subs, soups, and desserts, along with daily specials and the restaurant’s signature pickles.

Kowadla praises Utica Mayor Robert Palmieri as a key player in bringing Brooklyn Pickle to Utica. “He’s been great,” the restaurant owner says. The mayor made a convincing pitch for him to open in the city, he says, and will be on hand for the 10:30 a.m. grand opening along with Center State CEO.

“The city of Utica is excited to be the new home of the Brooklyn Pickle,” Palmieri said in a press statement. “Utica’s diverse culinary offerings are part of what we’re known for, and the Brooklyn Pickle will be a staple of our food scene for years to come. We’re excited about our growth downtown, we’re happy the Brooklyn Pickle has made Utica home, and we look forward to great food in an awesome setting.”

The Utica restaurant is the first of two new locations Brooklyn Pickle will open this year. Kowadla will also open a location in Pinehurst, North Carolina in June.

He actually began work on the North Carolina restaurant first but encountered more construction delays there. Originally slated to open in February, the Pinehurst location will be about 2,800 square feet in size.

“The area’s really booming,” Kowadla says of Pinehurst, which is a popular golf area. “I think it’s going to be a really great spot.”

While he didn’t initially plan on opening two new restaurants in such a short span of time, he is already eyeing prospects for future locations. Binghamton, Watertown, Rochester, Ithaca, and Oswego are all likely contenders, he says.

Founded in 1975 by Ken Sniper, Brooklyn Pickle operates restaurants on Burnet Avenue and West Genesee Street in Syracuse and Buckley Road in Clay.