The Broadway Theatre opened in 1924 as a film house. It alternated between a movie theater and a live performance venue until the 1950s, when it permanently dedicated its stage to live theater. The first live production at the Broadway featured Jimmy Durante in "The New Yorkers" by Cole Porter and Herbert Fields. There are several restaurants near the Broadway Theatre.
Sugiyama is a Japanese restaurant two blocks north of the Broadway Theatre. Chef Nao Sugiyama offers kaiseki dining, a traditional Japanese form of presenting a meal with roots in the Japanese tea ceremonies of the 16th century. The restaurant presents seasonal, artfully arranged food in several courses. Sugiyama's menu has three, five or eight-course dinners, some of which permit the chef to determine what is served. In addition to sashimi and the fish-of-the day, Sugiyama offers dishes such as boiled octopus with seaweed and sweet miso mustard, grilled steak or seafood, clear soup and zensai, or seasonal fish and assorted vegetables. Customers can order imported sake from the bar, as well as beer--such as Sapporo or Kirin Ichiban--and red or white imported and domestic wine. Sugiyama is open Tuesday through Saturday from 5:30 p.m. until 11:45 p.m.
Victor's Cafe is a family-owned Cuban restaurant that originally opened in 1963 at the corner of Columbus and 71st Street, then moved to its current location, one block south of the Broadway Theatre, in 1980. The restaurant is open every day, including holidays, from noon until midnight Sunday through Thursday and from noon until 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Customers can order lunch and dinner from either the standard menu or a prix fixe menu. Dishes include black bean soup, corn tamales with pork and ropa vieja, which consists of Angus beef simmered in a stew of tomatoes, onions and garlic and served in a plantain basket. The restaurant also offers a menu of small plates of tapas, as well as an abbreviated menu for after the theater. Some of the tapas include pork tacos, chicken skewers and mussels in green sauce. Victor's Cafe also has an extensive wine list offering domestic and imported red and white wines and champagne.
Carnegie Deli opened in 1937 and sits two blocks northeast of the Broadway Theatre. It is notable for its large deli sandwiches, some of which have over a pound of meat, and many of which are named in honor of celebrities. For example, Carnegie Deli offers the Woody Allen, a large corned beef and pastrami on rye bread sandwich. Customers can also create their own sandwich, selecting four deli meats and their choice of bread. Breakfast options include omelets, French toast, pancakes and blintzes, filled with either sweet cheese or fruit. In addition to sandwiches, lunch and dinner choices include salads, soups, burgers and entrees such as stuffed cabbage, baked short ribs and Hungarian goulash. The dessert menu features plain, chocolate or strawberry cheesecake and a variety of pies, cakes and cookies. Customers can also order chocolate or vanilla sodas and milk shakes. Carnegie Deli offers free delivery within a five-block radius and is open daily from 6:30 a.m. until 4 a.m.
