New partners have joined Biarritz Pizza and Wine Bar, the upscale dairy restaurant on Kingston Avenue in Crown Heights, as the CHK, the Crown Heights Beis Din’s kashrus division, has announced that it will be granting it kosher certification.

Joining longtime owner and manager Clara Perez are brothers Yossi and Mica Soffer (co-owners of the COLlive Media Group) and Shmulik and Aidy Soffer, who have become partners in the popular restaurant.

Perez is well known from her years as one of the owners of the original Basil Pizza and Wine Bar, the groundbreaking restaurant that operated at the same Kingston Avenue location beginning in 2010.

Basil developed a reputation as a destination for upscale kosher dining throughout the Tri-State area, drawing diners from across New York and around the world. At its height, customers would wait in lines stretching around the block for its artisanal pizzas, fresh fish dishes, dairy cuisine, and distinctive atmosphere.

After Basil closed in 2023, plans were made to revive the location, returning to its most popular dishes and beloved ambience. Biarritz opened its doors in February 2025. Named for the seaside resort town on France’s southwestern Basque coast, the restaurant sought to carry forward the location’s reputation as a destination restaurant while introducing a new menu and updated dining experience.

Like its predecessor, Biarritz has become a destination for local diners and visitors from around the world, offering an updated interior and a menu centered around artisanal pizza, fresh fish, pasta, salads, coffee, beer, and wine.

Biarritz initially opened under CHK certification. Recently, they have been under Vaad Kashrus Mehadrin of Lakewood, while remaining Cholov Yisroel and Pas Yisroel and maintaining full-time mashgichim.

Now, with the new partnership, Biarritz will once again be certified by Crown Heights Kosher (CHK), led by Rabbi Avrohom Osdoba and Rabbi Yosef Braun. It will make the restaurant accessible to Crown Heights residents and visitors who specifically rely on the local certification.

Building on her experience as an owner of Basil, Perez continues in her role at Biarritz. She is joined by the Soffer couples, who bring new excitement, vision, and entrepreneurial spirit to the business, and they look forward to bringing many new and exciting updates and additions to Biarritz.

The new team is already working on updates to the menu, along with additional changes to further enhance the food, service, and overall dining experience. More details on the changes are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

The new partnership marks another chapter in a story closely tied to the evolution of kosher dining in Crown Heights. From the early years of Basil to Biarritz and now its new partnership, the Kingston Avenue location continues its tradition as one of the neighborhood’s most popular dining destinations.

Biarritz Pizza and Wine Bar is located at 268 Kingston Avenue in Crown Heights.