A new, cozy Japanese cocktail bar is headed to Chelsea, according to a liquor license application filed with Manhattan Community Board 4. The upcoming bar, The Winters Coming, will open on 204 7th Ave, a long-dormant restaurant space that formerly held Champignon, which closed in 2021.
The Winters Coming is owned by Masahiro Urushido, owner of the acclaimed Katana Kitten in Greenwich Village. Since its opening in 2018, Katana Kitten has been a shoo-in on lists of the world’s best bars.
Urushido told the community board that The Winters Coming is “just a little bit more personal,” compared to the louder vibrancy of Katana Kitten. It connects Urushido’s hometown in Nagano, Japan, to his experiences in New York, particularly the weather.
The Winters Coming will offer seasonal cocktails and Japanese home cooking-inspired bar food. A preliminary menu lists some simple, comforting dishes like fish korokke, Japanese breakfast sandwiches and seared rice balls.
Urushido confirmed to What Now New York that The Winters Coming, appropriately, is aiming for a fall or winter 2026 opening.
