Sapp’s, a Long Island City restaurant serving Japanese cuisine, has signed a lease with Columbia University to open a new location in the Morningside Heights neighborhood next year.
At their new location at 2888 Broadway between 112th and 113th Streets, Sapp's will have a menu featuring sushi, specialty rolls, ramen, rice bowls, grilled and skewered foods, and more. A drink menu will also be available with beer, wine, sake, and cocktails. The restaurant is owned by Shih Lee, who owns Michelin-recommended SHI in Long Island City, and partners Eric Lehrer and Selix Lai who were a bartender and long-term waiter at SHI, respectively.
Lee thinks opening a second location of Sapp’s in Morningside Heights – and his first venture in Manhattan – would be a great fit for the neighborhood. “We're very excited to be part of the Columbia University community, especially in a post pandemic world,” Lee said. “We want to help reinvigorate the neighborhood with good food and good times.” Sapp’s is anticipated to open in the fall.
The signing of Sapp’s is consistent with Columbia University’s long-standing retail approach which favors local businesses that bring a variety of amenities and experiences to the diverse Columbia community and surrounding neighborhood. The restaurant will join several other local businesses that have recently opened or signed leases in Columbia buildings in Morningside Heights and Manhattanville, including Hex & Co., Blue Bottle Coffee, Dos Toros, the Expat, and a multi-concept food hall in the Jerome L. Greene Science Center.
Jones Lang LaSalle’s Amy Zhen brokered the deal on behalf of Columbia.
