Smorgasburg to Launch 32K-SF Seafood Concept on Governors Island

A sprawling 32,000-square-foot restaurant is coming to the Governors Island waterfront.

The Trust for Governors Island has selected Six Coasts by Smorgasburg as a food and beverage operator for the island following a request for proposals process that began in February 2025, according to the trust. The seafood restaurant concept is expected to open in May 2026.

Details of the contract and which building the restaurant will operate out of on Governors Island were not immediately disclosed, but the trust said the restaurant will take over a waterfront site next to Soissons Landing, the island’s ferry dock for ships departing from Manhattan. The eatery will replace Island Oyster and be situated on the northern shore of the island with views overlooking Lower Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge.

This would place it near the 100,000-square-foot Italian day spa, QC NY, which is in Building 111.

Smorgasburg began in 2011 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, as a sprawling collection of seasonal food stands operated by local vendors. It now also operates similar open-air food markets in Miami and Los Angeles, as well as smaller versions in Lower Manhattan and Prospect Park. 

“At Smorgasburg, we’ve always believed that food is a gateway to culture, and Six Coasts brings that to life in its own vibrant and unique way,” Gaston Becherano Cohen, CEO of Smorgasburg, said in a statement. “Six Coasts is a place where visiting chefs, live music and the flavors of six distinct coastlines come together against the backdrop of New York Harbor.”

The restaurant will serve seasonal dishes derived from six coastal identities across North and South America with live music and drink in a family-friendly atmosphere, according to the trust.

To achieve this, Six Coasts will have a revolving door of chef residencies from different regions of the Americas.

Mark Hallum can be reached at mhallum@commercialobserver.com.