There are oddly few neighborhood restaurants on the far west side of Manhattan. We’ve worked in the neighborhood for years, and we’ve never had a pizzeria nearby. Mel's is meant to be the neighborhood spot we’ve always wanted: the go-to destination for parents who live in the area, tech workers at Chelsea Market, and off-duty restaurant folks.

A casual pizzeria restaurant, it will serve antipasti in oversize bowls, pizzas, and a showstopper protein special each night all cooked in the wood-fired oven.

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Jeff Katz and James Kent were introduced by a mutual friend in late 2017. They gambled on each other and partnered to open a pair of restaurants and a cocktail bar in the landmark Art Deco building at 70 Pine Street in Manhattan’s Financial District. Crown Shy, the first of those restaurants, opened in March of 2019 and earned a Michelin star less than a year later. After many months of pandemic-related delays, the duo opened SAGA and Overstory in the building’s tiered spire.

In the summer of 2021, Kent and Katz partnered with Melissa Rodriguez (former Executive Chef of Del Posto) to take over the restaurant space at 85 Tenth Avenue. In early 2022, they plan to open three concepts there: a fine-dining Italian restaurant, a pizza restaurant, and a cocktail bar.