Thousands of Wegmans Fans Showed Up in the Rain Yesterday for Opening Day

Wegmaniacs were out in force yesterday

Wegmans fans didn’t let the rain stop them Sunday from checking out the first-ever New York City store for the cult-beloved grocer. More than 3,000 people reportedly showed up for the Brooklyn Navy Yard opening yesterday, lining up in the rain starting at 4 a.m. before the store opened three hours later. One shopper called it “chaos,” but spirits sounded mainly high.

The debut of Wegmans in NYC has caused a major splash, despite the proliferation of other well-loved grocery stores, such as Trader Joe’s and H Mart. Wegmans fans — called Wegmaniacs — have been highly anticipated the opening, which included 74,000-square-feet of shopping, counter-service restaurants, a coffee shop, and a full-service bar.

Nolita industry favorite Peasant is closing

Longtime Nolita Italian restaurant Peasant will close come December. Owner Frank DeCarlo has reportedly decided not to renew the lease, ending a 20-year run at 194 Elizabeth Street. Over the years, Peasant pulled in big names like Michelle Obama, Daniel Boulud for his 50th birthday party, Eric Ripert, and Jean-Georges Vongerichten for its wood-fired Italian fare. DeCarlo still has Bacaro on the Lower East Side and Barba Bianca on the North Fork.

In other news

— Ina Garten has named her favorite NYC black-and-white cookie: the ones from William Greenberg on the Upper East Side.

— In which Steve Cuozzo waxes poetic on the dying power lunch.

— The 14th Street Vanessa’s Dumplings outpost is now a Kent’s Dumplings House, but it appears to look the same and have the same staff.

— Alphabet City lounge Fat Buddha has reopened following a spring fire.

— Taqueria chain Dos Toros is now serving the Impossible ground beef as a filling option.

— Pro-level boba consumer over here: