Another longtime 9th Avenue spot is about to go dark. Route 66 Cafe will close this Sunday after nearly 20 years in Hell’s Kitchen.
Kasia Banas, owner of Route 66 Cafe. Photo: Catie Savage
Tucked between W55th and W56th Streets, the neighborhood standby has been a reliable go-to for everything from quick breakfasts to late dinners, with a menu that leans classic diner-adjacent: comfort food, a full bar and a staff that knows its regulars by name. For many in Hell’s Kitchen, it’s the kind of place you don’t think twice about — until now.
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As a Hell’s Kitchen resident since 2005, I have lived in both the W30s and W50s. After a 15 year career in the luxury fashion industry, I made a pivot to community advocacy in 2020. In addition to my role as Deputy Editor at W42ST, I am founder of the local non-profit cleanup group Litter Legion, co-chair of HK49-54 Block Alliance and a member of Manhattan Community Board 4. I’m deeply committed to improving my neighborhood and serving the people who call it home.