Hancock St.

Hancock St. is an NYC restaurant owned by John McDonald and Chef Ryan Schmidtberger that focuses on fresh ingredients and reimagined takes on basic meals. It has a 75-seat dining room, a 50-seat Garden Veranda, and a private dining room that can accommodate up to 30 people. Co-owner Serge Becker is no stranger to the hospitality industry, having owned famous establishments such as Area MK, Bowery Bar, La Esquina, Miss Lilly's, and Bodega Negra. Ryan Schmidtberger, the head chef of Hancock Street, is a former Lure Fishbar alum. Despite the fact that it was peak COVID, Becker and McDonald had previously collaborated on Lure Fishbar and believed it was time to start a new project together. Hancock is a white tablecloth restaurant that only serves dinner. "The space is dark, sexy, vintage looking," McDonald says, “It feels like it has been here for 20 years already, which was the goal." McDonald envisioned an elegant eatery that was neither fussy nor pretentious. He and Becker wanted to create something that appeared to have been around for a long time, with history and flaws. The menu features typical New York American fare that you'll want to eat every day. After a few months of the lockdown, McDonald was bored, and it prompted him to reconsider what he intended to do with a few of his properties. Pre-pandemic, the restaurateur had intended to conduct a two-week modest renovation of El Toro Blanco, but instead decided to do a complete overhaul from top to bottom. Serge Becker was also in town, so the pair got to work on Hancock St, and the rest is history.