Gem Home Expands as Flynn McGarry Closes Gem Wine and Prepares for Cove’s Grand Opening

Flynn McGarry’s Gem Home, a cozy café and fine grocer on Mott Street, is set to expand its offerings as Gem Wine closes at the end of the month. Originally designed as a communal space for sandwiches and pastries during the day, Gem Home will now take over nighttime dining, officially launching its dinner service on April 3. While McGarry previously insisted that Gem Home was “not a restaurant,” this new development will make it harder to maintain that distinction.

McGarry Expands Gem Home and Prepares for His Most Ambitious Project Yet

The transition from Gem Wine to Gem Home underscores the evolving nature of McGarry’s food ventures. He notes the difficulty of distinguishing between restaurants, wine bars, and cafés, as customers increasingly seek both casual and formal dining experiences in the same space.

Gem Wine, which was meant to complement the original Gem, became a hybrid between a social wine bar and a full-service restaurant, leading to operational challenges. McGarry himself often found himself preparing full meals for some guests while others enjoyed simple snacks.

As McGarry reconfigures his current dining spaces, he is also preparing for his most ambitious project yet: Cove, a new restaurant set to open in Hudson Square this fall. Unlike the intimate, cozy feel of the Gem restaurants, Cove will be larger and built with long-term plans in mind.

With a 15-year lease, McGarry envisions two distinct dining experiences within the space—one focusing on simple, high-quality ingredients and another on more complex, composed dishes. This expansion marks a significant shift in McGarry’s culinary journey, differentiating his offerings within New York’s competitive food scene.

Gem Wine’s Closure Brings a Wine Redistributing Plan and a Grand Farewell Celebration

With the closure of Gem Wine, McGarry is strategically redistributing its extensive wine collection. His sister Paris, who has managed the wine program since the original Gem opened, will oversee the transition. The collection will be divided between Cove and Gem Home, with the former housing special bottles for curated dining experiences and the latter focusing on wines suited for casual pours. This restructuring ensures that both establishments maintain a strong connection to Gem’s signature approach to food and drink.

Before Gem Wine closes its doors, McGarry is hosting a weeklong farewell celebration featuring renowned guest chefs and wine experts. The festivities, beginning on March 25, will showcase a variety of culinary talents, including Marc-Olivier Frappier and Jessica Noël from Mon Lapin, Macklin Casnoff from L.A., and New York wine legend Eli Zabar. The final night will feature wine importer Zev Rovine, along with Serbian restaurant Kafana. Through this event, McGarry aims to highlight what makes a true wine bar experience while celebrating the end of an era for Gem Wine.