An alumnus of Atelier Crenn has taken over one of Greenpoint’s most beloved pop-ups—and he’s making it permanent.
After a well-received residency at Fulgrances, chef Kevin Finch is officially putting down roots on Franklin Street with Arthur, a new neighborhood restaurant that will officially open on Friday, April 10. The project is Finch’s first solo venture, but his resume is ultimately a greatest-hits list of serious kitchens: Betony, Maialino, Maaemo and Ensue, plus a stint leading the kitchen at Atelier Crenn under Dominique Crenn, where he helped the restaurant earn three Michelin stars.
If that all sounds a little intimidating, Arthur is very much not. The vibe is meant to feel more like a modern Parisian bistro than a white-tablecloth tasting menu dining room. It’s thoughtful, for sure, but also designed to feel lived-in rather than labored over.
Finch’s menu is rooted in Northeast seasonality, with dishes that feel familiar but not overly simple. Beef tartare is made with New York State beef and black garlic, grilled scallops are paired with turnip and dashi and a brioche course is served with house-cultured butter and blue cheese. The cooking doesn’t scream for attention but at the end of the day, it certainly rewards it.
The drinks are doing their own thing, too. Beverage director Charlotte Mirzoeff (another Maialino alum) has built a list that’s focused on small producers and bottles. The tight cocktail program includes a “brioche martini” that riffs on the kitchen’s signature bread course, with barley tea folded in to echo those toasty, buttery notes. It’s subtle, a little weird and very on brand.
Arthur is co-owned by Alexa Finch, whose background spans both hospitality and large-scale cultural events (Olympics, Fashion Week and Coachella, to name a few). Here, she’s shaping everything beyond the plate—from operations to atmosphere—with a focus on making the restaurant feel genuinely welcoming, not just well-designed.
At the end of the day, Arthur isn’t trying to reinvent dining in Greenpoint or chase the next big thing. It’s hoping to become the kind of place you end up returning to without really thinking about it. And in a neighborhood that’s seen its fair share of flash-in-the-pan pop-ups, that might be the most ambitious move of all.
