Union Square Cafe

Union Square Cafe
Union Square Cafe,
21 E 16th Street,
September 2008
Map
Restaurant information
EstablishedOctober 1985; 39 years ago (October 1985)
Owner(s)Union Square Hospitality Group
ChefCarmen Quagliata
Food typeNew American
Street address101 E 19th St (between Park Avenue South and Irving Place), Manhattan
CityNew York City
StateNew York
Postal/ZIP Code10003
CountryUnited States
Coordinates40°44′16″N 73°59′16″W / 40.737752°N 73.987881°W / 40.737752; -73.987881
Websiteunionsquarecafe.com
Entrance sign

Union Square Cafe is an American restaurant featuring New American cuisine with Italian influences,[citation needed] located at 101 E 19th St (between Park Avenue South and Irving Place), in the Union Square neighborhood of the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York. It is owned by the Union Square Hospitality Group.[1]

History

In October 1985, Danny Meyer opened Union Square Cafe with chef Ali Barker.[citation needed] In December 2015, The restaurant's lease at 21 E 16th Street ended.[2] In December 2016, Union Square Cafe reopened at Hotel on Rivington, 101 East 19th Street.[3][4][5]

Design

The original restaurant was designed by architect Larry Bogdanow.[6] The new location is designed by architect David Rockwell.[7]

Awards and accolades

The restaurant has won multiple awards and honors since its inception,[8] including the ranking of "Favorite New York Restaurant" in the Zagat Survey in the 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2008 editions. Notably, the restaurant did not receive a Michelin star during Michelin's 2005 review of New York restaurants, leading to concerns that the guide might be biased towards French cuisine or restaurants that "emphasize formality and presentation".[9]

  • 1992, Outstanding Service, James Beard Foundation
  • 1997, Outstanding Restaurant, James Beard Foundation
  • 1997–2001, Zagat Survey #1 Favorite New York Restaurant
  • 1998–1999, New York Times Three Star Award
  • 1999, Outstanding Wine Service, James Beard Foundation
  • 2000, Michael Romano inducted into "Who's Who of Food & Beverage", James Beard Foundation
  • 2000–2002, Forbes magazine Three Star Review
  • 2001, James Beard Foundation Best Chef New York City – Michael Romano
  • 2003, Zagat Survey #2 Favorite New York Restaurant
  • 2004, Wine Spectator Award of Excellence
  • 2004, Zagat Survey #1 Favorite New York Restaurant
  • 2005, Forbes magazine Three Star Review
  • 2005–2007, Zagat Survey #2 Favorite New York Restaurant
  • 2006-2010, Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence
  • 2008, Zagat Survey #1 Favorite New York Restaurant
  • 2012-2013, Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence

The 2016 novel Sweetbitter features a protagonist who works as a waitress in a fictionalized version of the restaurant; Vanity Fair referred to the novel as a "love letter" to Union Square Cafe.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Union Square Cafe". Zagat. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
  2. ^ Li, David K. (June 24, 2014). "Danny Meyer's famed Union Square Cafe to close". New York Post. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  3. ^ "Danny Meyer's Union Square Cafe Reopens in New Location on 19th Street". DNAinfo. Archived from the original on August 10, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  4. ^ Filloon, Whitney (December 2, 2016). "Danny Meyer's Iconic Union Square Cafe Has Been Reborn". Eater. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  5. ^ "Union Square Cafe". Hotel on Rivington. September 9, 2016. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  6. ^ Grimes, William (June 29, 2011). "Larry Bogdanow, 64, Dies; Crafted Cozy Restaurants". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 30, 2017.
  7. ^ Kimmelman, Michael (September 6, 2016). "The Same, Only Different: Designing a New Union Square Cafe". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 6, 2016.
  8. ^ Union Square Cafe Awards. Union Square Cafe. Retrieved January 14, 2008.
  9. ^ Kurutz, Steven (November 13, 2015). "She's a Belle of the City, but the French Are Blasé". The New York Times. Retrieved January 14, 2008.
  10. ^ Vitale, Julia (May 23, 2016). "11 Questions for Sweetbitter Author Stephanie Danler, Union Square Cafe's Most Successful Alumnus (sic)". Vanity Fair. Retrieved July 17, 2016.