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Today is the last day of business at Szechuan Garden. The restaurant first opened its doors in 2016.
“Dear friends and families, it is with a heavy heart that we announce the closing of our beloved restaurant,” reads a printed note from Kurt Xu, owner of Szechuan Garden, in the window. “We cannot fully express our gratitude for your unwavering support and patronage throughout the years.”
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When we called Szechuan Garden (located at 239 West 105th Street near Broadway) for more information, the person on the line told us they had just found out about the closing on Saturday, the day before the restaurant’s final day. Xu was not at the eatery when we reached out. We will update this story if we receive more details on what led to Szechuan Garden’s shuttering.
In July 2024, Eater featured Szechuan Garden on its list of “The Booming Chinese Restaurant Corridor of the Upper West Side,” highlighting the selections as the core of next-gen Chinese restaurants in the neighborhood, from 98th Street to 113th Street.
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“Founded a decade ago, Szechuan Garden was one of a raft of restaurants — many in Midtown and north of Times Square — that brought a reliable version of Sichuan cuisine to the masses at bargain prices, not stinting on chile oil or organ meats, but restrained in their use of Sichuan peppercorns,” reported Eater. The publication also credited the proximity to Columbia University’s diverse population as a contributing factor to the success of Chinese restaurants in the area.
Those looking for a nearby replacement can turn to Happy Hot Hunan at 696 Amsterdam Avenue, between 107th and 108th Streets, or Nan Xiang Express, originally from Flushing, at 2783 Broadway, near 107th. Alas, Szechuan Garden leaves a hole in the bustling Chinese corridor.
If Silver Moon Bakery also ends up closing, the corner of 105th and Broadway will look very different.
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oh no
Terrible news. Ollie’s quality has tanked and this was such a good replacement.
I don’t know about Szechuan Garden (although it seems a duplicate of the “raft” of Chinese restaurants along Broadway, but Silver Moon bakery is a fraud. It’s staffed by people who don’t know how to produce truly high quality food to match the outrageous prices they charge.
I don’t mind. The menu at SG was – odd – lots of muscles and organ parts, not do delish to us and rather arcane. Many years ago a restaurant called Santorello was great, a little fancy
intimate with a delicious menu.
Ollies is great – not gourmet – but clean and reliable!!
Silver Moon usually to me a longtime home baker, over cooks their bread so it’s dry. They are not inexpensive and also so crowed = hard to get service and outside is dirty.
I sincerely hope that someone doesn’t build a shadow making large building on that block/corner. Good luck to us all.
Santerello was indeed a nice place.
You think muscles are “odd” food? I guess you’re vegetarian. No steak, pork chops or chicken for you!
Ollies is not really Chinese food, it’s Chinese-American, expensive, and mediocre at best.
I’ll miss Szechuan Garden – I’m sad to see them go. Hunan Hot Pot is not a replacement. Not even close. Atlas Kitchen comes a bit closer, but doesn’t quite hit the mark, either.
Chicken nuggets, fries or whatever is on the kids’ menu is appropriate for Tony’s palate. I will miss this place.
Odd? Perhaps we will nee a kids’ menu for Tony. I will miss SG but at least for Tony, plenty of places that serve chicken nuggets and fries. I have enjoyed places that feature their foods and not cater to those with limited palates.
Sad news, they were solid! And nice people, to boot.
We’ve enjoyed their cooking since it opened. SG was a reliable replacement for the late lamented Columbia Cottage (sigh). Will miss them a lot.
Oh no – sad to hear this. Szechuan Garden was my most reliable take-out option for years and years! I’m crushed!