Cafe Mogador Owners Open East Village Bar

Cafe Mogador has been a cornerstone of the East Village since its opening in 1983. Founder Rivka Orlin established the restaurant, which is named after the former name of her birthplace, the port city of Essaouira in Morocco. It has since become a neighborhood institution known for its Moroccan-inspired cuisine. The new, yet-to-be-named bar will occupy the space at 126 St. Mark's Place, which was formerly the home of East Village Social. The building itself dates back to 1920 and contains 24 units across its six stories. This location places the new venture just down the street from the original Cafe Mogador at 101 St. Mark's Place. The business remains a family affair. During the pandemic, founder Rivka Orlin stepped back due to illness, and her son Danny Orlin and cousin Jacob Ahiyon took over operations. The family's deep roots in the neighborhood are a core part of the Cafe Mogador identity, which has expanded to a second location in Williamsburg. For decades, long waits for a table at Cafe Mogador have been a neighborhood hallmark. In 2007, The New York Times noted the lengthy Sunday brunch lines, a sentiment echoed by The Village Voice in 2014 regarding its coveted outdoor tables. Rivka Orlin has suggested the new bar could serve as a place for patrons to wait for their table, enjoying a drink and a small plate. St. Mark's Place is steeped in New York history, evolving from a center for German immigrants in the 19th century to a hub of the punk rock movement. The block has cultural significance, with buildings featured on the cover of Led Zeppelin's "Physical Graffiti" and in the Rolling Stones' "Waiting on a Friend" music video. The East Village bar scene is a dynamic mix of historic dive bars, punk-rock remnants, and a new wave of modern craft cocktail establishments. This new establishment enters a neighborhood known for its blend of high-end and low-key nightlife, where hidden speakeasies coexist with long-standing local favorites.