The owner of Forsythia, a New York City Italian restaurant honored by the Michelin Guide, is getting ready to open a new location and other concepts in Memphis at 107 S. Main St.
The new location is one of four food and beverage concepts owner Jacob Siwak is opening with 18 Main, a Memphis-based real estate development and investment company, according to Memphis Business Journal. The new Memphis Forsythia is labeled as the restaurant’s ‘sister restaurant’ to the original and is expected to open sometime next year, according to the company’s new Memphis Instagram. Other concepts coming to the area include a coffee shop, an Italian bistro, and a bar.
We are growing and heading to Memphis, TN!” according to the company’s Instagram post from August 25. ” In partnership with 18 Main, we’re opening a second Forsythia as well as a coffee shop, an Italian bistro, and a bar, all in one historic building in downtown Memphis over the course of the next year and change. Our ability to grow is thanks in large part to all the wonderful folks that have worked at Forsythia over the last three years. Without our talented, dedicated team, Forsythia would not be where it is.”
After graduating from Washington University in St. Louis and working in the film industry, Siwak opened Forsythia in 2020 as a pop-up in East Village before opening a brick-and-mortar a few months later in the Lower East Side. The Roman trattoria-style restaurant quickly gained attention in the city and was labeled one of the “21 Best Italian Restaurants in New York” by Condé Nast Traveler in 2021. The same year, the Michelin Guide awarded the restaurant the Bib Gourmand. Siwak is now currently looking for a director of hospitality for the Memphis area operations.
“As we head south, things will remain the same at Forsythia NYC,” the Instagram post continues. “Handmade pastas, suppli, maritozzi, you know the drill! We’re open seven days now and offering the choice of our á la carte menu and prix-fixe option nightly. We’re also grateful to you – our amazing guests! We are looking forward to sharing our love for Italian food and culture outside of our OG nook in the Lower East Side. We’re thrilled to work with 18 Main, and share an aligned vision to create memorable experiences for the people in Memphis.”
