Australian Eatery THISBOWL Opens Near Central Park
The Australian restaurant chain THISBOWL is expanding in New York City with a new location on the Upper West Side. The company signed a 10-year lease for a 2,000-square-foot space at 1880 Broadway. This will be the chain's fifth outpost in the city, located near Central Park West.
- The chain is the U.S. branding for the Australian fast-casual eatery "Fishbowl," which was founded in Sydney in 2016 by three college students and now operates more than 50 locations in Australia. - To manage consistency across its customizable menu, the company utilizes Square's technology suite, including a Kitchen Display System (KDS) that provides kitchen staff with full recipes and precision timing for orders. - Co-founder Nathan Dalah has stated the company's strategy is to tackle the challenging New York market first, believing a success there will provide the foundation for growth in other major U.S. cities. - The menu focuses on Asian-inspired, gluten-free bowls, with some options containing fewer than 500 calories, and all dressings and cooking processes are done without seed oils. - In July 2025, the company faced a public relations challenge when customers alleged foodborne illness on social media; a company investigation attributed the cause to a contagious illness unknowingly brought in by an employee, not to issues with food quality or supply. - The restaurant's other New York City locations are in NoHo, Nomad, and near Rockefeller Center. - The new Upper West Side location is situated in a retail building that is now 95% leased and includes other major tenants like JPMorgan Chase and West Elm.
