Damn You, 2017: Bay Ridge’s Petit Oven is Brooklyn’s First Restaurant Casualty of the Year
As the clock clicked towards midnight on December 31st, only a handful of ardent regulars knew they were counting down the last minutes of service at Petit Oven. A fiercely beloved yet altogether surprising success story, Bay Ridge’s sole, local-seasonal, French-inspired boîte enjoyed a nine-year run in its 30-seat space off of 3rd Avenue—even though it opened in a time when a multi-generation tenure and spaghetti menu were the only things that guaranteed an audience.
Petit is also one of the exceedingly rare spots we’ve openly claimed as a personal favorite; the closest thing we’ve ever had to a go-to restaurant. Though our food writing profession has generally directed us far beyond Bay Ridge, it’s where we invariably chose to dine, off the clock, for pure pleasure; our pick for celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, or Wednesdays. And it’s clear it served that purpose for the neighborhood too, managing the elusive hat trick of positioning itself as special occasion place—with its immaculate crudos, foie gras flourishes and small but thoughtful wine list—at a price point that actually permitted everyday dining, from $25 three-course prix fixes, to $19 all-you-can-eat wild mussels and frites.
And while the increasingly universal laundry list of factors contributed to the closure, it’s a small comfort the duo was able to leave on a high note, knowing that they managed to personally connect with every last one of their customers, and keep all 30 of their tightly-packed tables filled to the end.