The restaurant replaced contemporary American establishment Dressler,[2] which closed in 2013 after seven years in business.[3] Husband and wife Polo Dobkin and Stephanie Lempert own Meadowsweet.[4] Dobkin was the executive chef at Dressler, though he left the restaurant in 2012 to start his own establishment.[5] Dobkin did not find a space he found appealing after leaving,[6] and when Dressler closed he signed a 20-year lease for the space.[5] Dobkin also found the space attractive in part due to foot traffic from the Williamsburg Bridge.[5]