NY's Tavern on the Green restaurant bites the dust

Tavern on the Green, once America's highest-grossing restaurant, is singing its culinary swan song.

The former sheepfold at the edge of Central Park, now ringed by twinkling lights and fake topiary animals, is preparing for New Year's Eve, when it will serve its last meal. Just three years ago, it was plating more than 700,000 meals annually, bringing in more than $38 million.

But that astronomical sum wasn't enough to keep the landmark restaurant out of bankruptcy court. Its $8 million debt is to be covered at an auction of Baccarat and Waterford chandeliers, Tiffany stained glass, a mural depicting Central Park and other over-the-top decor that has bewitched visitors for decades.

Even the restaurant's name is up for grabs. At stake is whether another restaurateur taking over the 27,000 square feet of space, owned by the city, can reopen as Tavern on the Green.

For 75 years, since it first opened amid the Great Depression, the Tavern has attracted clients from around the world.

http://www.kansascity.com/382/story/1656324.html

How could NYC let this happen?? Surely somebody has $8 million to bail them out.

It sounds like it was political. The city gave the lease to someone else.

sounds like it was poorly managed.

:)

Really, the city needs to take a look at itself here. Doesn't anyone apprciate experiences that can be handed down through the generations anymore?

I won't be able to take my nieces and nephews to ANYTHING I did as a kid (that does not include Tavern on the Green, unfortunately, but it's the same anywhere). Landlords are charging rapacious rents and everything's turning into a chain, because those are the only people who can pay them.

The food was not amazing and the place was dripping in tourists... but it had lots of over the top, wheeeeee kind of drama that was fun and the grounds were beautiful. Farewell to a NYC icon, that's for sure.

that's the end of that, as well.

It's a very sad story about greed.

heading for the last thirty years. It's just picking up speed.

Yes, sad indeed.

The food was unremarkable. Tourist trap.

Not the same place.

my only experience of tavern on the green is probably from nora ephron movies.

was it that great?

I don't care if it is a tourist trap. I have always wanted to see it. The pictures are so beautiful.