Union Square Café, A New York City Culinary Icon Is Closing Its Doors For Good
Tomorrow, the fat lady sings, the swan song ends, and all manner of other proverbial clichés come to mind as the Union Square Café serves its last dinner service on Saturday, December 12. Last year, we reported the shocking news that Danny Meyer's flagship restaurant, which has been a New York City culinary mainstay for three decades, would be closing by the end of 2015.
The Union Square Hospitality Group's lease was up and the restaurant group could not stomach the exorbitant rent request from their landlord, leading many to believe that if Danny Meyer, one of the most successful restaurateurs in the five boroughs had rent troubles, then was the average restaurant owner or chef doomed?
Fortunately, this will not be the last we see of Union Square Café. Meyer will be opening his beloved restaurant in a new location nearby, within walking distance of the Union Square Greenmarket. In June, Meyer confirmed that the new Union Square Café will open on Park Avenue at 19th Street.
Although not many details are known about the new location, it will certainly be larger than the former, with plenty of room for chefs and line cooks to move around and prepare meals. Danny Meyer also announced that he would hire the 75 employees from City Crab, which used to occupy the space, for his other restaurants, affirming his status as a good neighbor. The new restaurant will open in April 2016.