While Tavern on the Green and the Rainbow Room have served their last meals, some of New York City's most iconic eateries remain open for tourists who like a little cultural history with dinner. The restaurants might not be known for the best food in the city but they warrant a visit due to their deep-seated place in the city's identity.
Although no longer the star-spotting core of the Broadway scene, Sardi's remains a theater district institution. The restaurant opened in its current location in 1927, and by the 1940s, it had become the site of choice for producers' deal-making, opening-night parties and Walter Winchell gossip items.
Sardi's has gone through some rough patches and renovations, but its most famous feature remains unchanged: hundreds of caricatures hanging on the wall, including big Broadway names like Ethel Merman and up-and-comers like Daniel Radcliffe. Another constant: Though dinner specials change daily, the menu always features its signature cannelloni au gratin. Make reservations for lunch or dinner, or stop by unannounced after a show for post-theater coffee and dessert.
Sardi's Restaurant
234 West 44th Street
New York, NY 10036
212-221-8440
sardis.com
Members of the Russian Imperial Ballet opened this iconic restaurant next to Carnegie Hall in 1927. Though it's been through several owners and a few dark years since then, the eatery has earned a reputation of exclusivity. Ayn Rand often ate borscht and pierogies there, Dustin Hoffman dined in drag there with Sydney Pollack in the film "Tootsie" and Madonna once worked there as a coat check girl.
The restaurant underwent a $30 million renovation in the late 1990s, after which it closed from 2002 through 2006, but much of its famous decor remains: the deep red booths, the samovars and the red-coated gentleman in a top hat who greets you at the door. New additions include a tree of glass eggs and a spinning bear-shaped aquarium.
The food can be on the pricey side, particularly for anyone wishing to indulge in imported caviar, but the restaurant also offers high tea and even a children's tea dining option for those who want to see the famous site on a budget. Reservations are strongly recommended.
The Russian Tea Room
150 West 57th Street
New York, NY 10019
212-581-7100
russiantearoomnyc.com
Arguably one of the most famous facades in uptown New York, Tom's Restaurant and its neon signage are best known as the exterior used for Monk's Cafe, the regular coffee shop haunt for the principals in the TV sitcom "Seinfeld." The television hit wasn't Tom's first brush with fame, either. It also was the inspiration for songstress Suzanne Vega's tune "Tom's Diner."
The Morningside Heights location is a bit off the beaten path for tourists, but with "Seinfeld" episodes in syndication for years, it remains a popular destination for fans of the show. Beware, however. "Seinfeld" shot the scenes within Monk's in a Los Angeles studio, so the similarities end at the door. The menu doesn't even offer Elaine's famous "big salad." Instead, the restaurant serves typical New York diner fare--wraps, burgers, omelets and shakes--with a bit of show memorabilia as decor.
Tom's Restaurant
2880 Broadway
New York, NY 10025
212-864-6137
tomsrestaurant.net
