Patron toasts storied Soho bar’s future

Regulars of Soho institution Kenn’s Broome Street Bar will be pleased to hear that the new owner will pay plenty of homage to the familiar.

The bar, at 363 Broadway, will continue to serve its famed burgers in a pita — it was the first eatery to re quest a special blend of ground beef from Pat LaFreda in 1972 and still uses it to this day.

What’s more, some new additions to the menu, such as Italian meatballs in marina sauce, are “a shoutout to the neighborhood of old,” said Jonathan Kaufman, who was a patron of the bar for 35 years before taking ownership.

Even the cocktail list will honor patrons and owners over the past 43 years, including the Midnight Nick Negroni.

Late owner Kenn Reisdorff left the bar to his daughter, Julie ResidorffParker. Kaufman became the new principal owner after talks with another suitor fell through, and has pledged to maintain the Soho institution.

“It has the best people watching windows in Soho and will continue to be a place for good talk, good food and drink and good times,” he told Side Dish.

The bar was founded by Kenn Reisdorff and his brother Bob in 1972 to serve Soho’s artist community.

The 1826 building — arguably the oldest federalstyle one in Soho — has had many lives over the years. It was a German beer hall in the 1880s, allegedly a house of ill repute, a mob hangout/head quarters and the original site of Gotham Bar and Grill, according to Kaufman, who is head of CyberLogic, an engineering and development company.

He said his main goal in buying the bar is to preserve it. “It’s a magical place,” he said, adding that he is also keeping the staff. “I don’t want to change anything. It’s a neighborhood institution.”