Restaurateur James O’Brien Bringing Wine Bar to Naftali’s Williamsburg Wharf – Commercial Observer
Some wine and a walk by the Williamsburg waterfront? Sounds like the perfect evening.
James O’Brien, the restaurateur behind Cobble Hill’s popular Italian restaurant Popina, has signed a 2,000-square-foot lease at Naftali Group’s Williamsburg Wharf to open a new wine bar, the developer announced Tuesday.
The yet-to-be-named wine bar will open at 484 Kent Avenue in 2027. The length of the lease and the asking rent were not disclosed, but the average asking rent for retail space in Williamsburg north of Sixth Street was $400 per square foot, according to the Real Estate Board of New York’s 2025 Brooklyn retail report.
“James has earned a reputation for creating restaurants that feel deeply rooted in their communities, and we’re thrilled to partner with him on an entirely new concept for Williamsburg Wharf,” Miki Naftali, chairman and CEO of Naftali, said in a statement. “Popina has built a genuine following in Brooklyn, and we know what he will introduce will further strengthen the sense of community and authenticity that defines the destination we’ve sought to curate along the Williamsburg waterfront.”
Restaurant industry advisory firm Friend of Chef represented both Naftali and O’Brien in the deal. The names of the brokers involved were not immediately available.
A spokesperson for Friend of Chef did not immediately respond to Commercial Observer’s request for comment.
Williamsburg Wharf is a 3.75-acre resort-style waterfront residential development featuring 950 residential units — both condominium and rental units, a portion of which are designated as affordable housing. The first phase of the project was completed last year, and the project is set to top out sometime in 2028. But there’s already an abundance of retail tenants along the Williamsburg Wharf stretch, including the Goods Mart, Breads Bakery and Naked Tomato, a new restaurant slated to open later this year.
“I’m really excited to be part of what’s happening at Williamsburg Wharf,” O’Brien said in a statement. “It’s such a unique waterfront setting, and I’m hopeful we can create a place where people want to come back again and again. We can’t wait to welcome the neighborhood and be part of this new community.”
Amanda Schiavo can be reached at aschiavo@commercialobserver.com.
