c/o The Calaveras
Free Upper East Side News, Delivered To Your Inbox
A familiar name in Upper West Side dining is heading across the park. Victor Martinez — the owner of neighborhood favorites Calaveras Corner at 936 Amsterdam Avenue (home to Calaveras Coffee Bar) and The Calaveras at 949 Columbus Avenue — is preparing to open a new restaurant on the Upper East Side.
Advertisement
Martinez is planning Calaveras Social at 240 East 75th Street (between Second and Third avenues), bringing his popular brand of colorful, community-minded Mexican food to the UES. His Upper West Side spots are known for lively happy hours, Taco Tuesdays, daily brunch specials, and walls filled with vibrant artwork — elements he’s expected to carry over to the new location.The new spot will be right around the corner from El Taco, which opened in October at 1452 Second Avenue (between 75th and 76th streets).
Martinez recently appeared before Community Board 8 as he seeks a temporary wine, beer, cider and liquor license for the space. Martinez described Calaveras Social as a project that will shift throughout the day, beginning each morning as a Mexican coffee shop before transitioning into a full-service restaurant by evening.
He told the board he plans to open from 8 a.m. to midnight on weekdays, with hopes of staying open until 1 a.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, depending on what the neighborhood will allow. There will be no roadway dining and no sidewalk café, as the block does not permit those options.
Martinez says the space will hold about 54 indoor seats.
Advertisement
One board member also raised concerns about the restaurant’s proximity to a nearby school entrance. Martinez responded by noting that the space previously housed Bee Café, which operated for roughly two decades with a full liquor license.After brief discussion and no objections from the public, CB8’s committee voted to approve the application as presented.
Calaveras Social will take over a storefront with a long history in the neighborhood, and while an opening date has not yet been announced, Martinez’s expansion marks a new chapter for the Calaveras brand — and a new Mexican option for East 75th Street.
Have a news tip? Send it to us here!
