Welcome to The New York City Restaurant Archive!
New York City is full of classic restaurants, albeit a dwindling number of old classics, but I like to think of this site as a memorial to the countless institutions that have passed through the buildings, flyers, journals, datebooks, and literature of the city. Only restaurants that have closed will be included, the main qualifying features being their persistence for at least a decade (though there may be exceptions) and ability to spark interest in the New York dining scene aficionado of today. Or at the very least, those of us with an obsessive tendency to delve into the history of this city block by block.
At the same time, this is a work in progress. New information is being added constantly, both in the form of new restaurants and details added to restaurant records. Corrections are also being made as new sources are found. Feel free to share your own corrections, anecdotes, restaurants of interest, questions, etc. via the contact page or comments. When correcting details like dates and addresses that can easily become skewed over time, the inclusion of documentary evidence like business cards, post cards, or articles, is especially helpful.
How to Use the Archive:
See below for the anatomy of a restaurant record. Records can be accessed via the main page, in the order in which they have been added, or via the “Alphabetical Listing” page in the sidebar. A drop down menu in the sidebar also allows restaurants to be searched according to decades in operation.
Full Name of Restaurant
Date range
Cuisine/Restaurant Type
Alternate Names: List of alternate names by which the restaurant has been known, with dates where relevant (these may be nicknames or formal name changes).
Ownership: Restaurant owners listed in chronological order with dates of ownership. Where co-owners operated over different date ranges, they are listed separately.
Executive Chef: Where known, executive chefs are listed chronologically with the dates they held the position.
Location: Addresses of restaurant, listed chronologically. Sometimes locations were operated simultaneously. Additionally, certain avenues may have undergone a renumbering scheme since the closure of a restaurant; where known, the restaurant’s location relative to current address numbers and/or street corners or building names will also be given.
Literature: Chronological list of works of fiction and non-fiction literature in which the restaurant is referenced. May occasionally describe the scene in question or include a quote. Where page numbers are known, the publisher and publication year is referenced.
Film: Chronological list of feature-length films, short films, television episodes, and documentaries that either feature a scene set at the restaurant or take on the restaurant as a subject. Typically all listed together, but may be sorted by type for clarity (see Elaine’s). May include a description of the scene in question.
Publications: Chronological list of publications referencing the restaurant. These include magazine and newspaper articles (both in print and online), blogs, cookbooks, and reference or historical non-fiction books. Typically all listed together, but may be organized into publication type for clarity (see Felidia). For more elusive restaurants (see Crillon), the list may include every located reference to the restaurant, while a more recent, well-documented restaurant (see La Caravelle) will only include those publications that focus particularly on the restaurant or provide new information. Sources are linked where possible. “Illustrated” indicates either a photograph, or, in some cases, an actual illustration, of the restaurant is featured.
Notable Guests: Alphabetical list of well-known guests to the restaurant. These are often regulars, though one-time guests that made a significant impression may also make the list. Occasionally guests are “notable” only in the context of the restaurant and may not be well-known otherwise (see The Colony, Mary Elizabeth Leary). Quotes and anecdotes are included where available. Clicking a hyperlinked name will pull up a list of restaurants with which that person is associated.
Notes: This includes interesting facts about the restaurant, including historical details; information about the location (including occupants prior to and after the restaurant); artwork, poetry, and music inspired by the restaurant; the restaurant’s legacy including any re-creations and the fate of decorations or infrastructure, etc.
Related Restaurants: A list of other restaurants in the Archive that have a point in common with the current restaurant. This could be an executive chef, owner, location, etc. and will be noted alongside the linked restaurant.
Menu: Menus linked with name or description of meal and date, where known.
These sections are followed by the list of end notes (noted within the text by numbers in parentheses) as well as source information for the cover photo. Occasionally other ephemera such as business cards or advertisements will be included towards the end of the restaurant record.
Happy searching!
And to the classic restaurants that are still around, here’s to not seeing them on this website for a long, long time…
The New York City Restaurant Archive 