Tavern on the Green, the now-shuttered restaurant situated in New York’s Central Park, once again will be serving food when four food carts begin offering upscale fare next month.
New York-based restaurant companies Ladles of Love, Pera Mediterranean Brasserie, and Rickshaw Dumpling will serve various menu items featured at their brick-and-mortar establishments at Tavern’s outdoor terrace area beginning Oct. 15, the city’s Department of Parks & Recreation said Thursday.
Ladles of Love will serve seasonal homemade soups and stews, while Rickshaw Dumpling will offer its traditional pork and Chinese chive, chicken and Thai basil dumplings. Pera will feature such items as Turkish-style tacos, lamb bacon BLTs, Greek salad and baklava.
In addition, the Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream truck will operate on the premises, serving high-end ice creams and pastries.
“New York City is not only the city that never sleeps; it is the city that always eats — everywhere,” said parks commissioner Adrian Benepe. “We are thrilled that high-quality food will continue to be made available to the public at Tavern on the Green.”
The carts will be located in the area that originally housed Tavern on the Green’s famed Crystal Room. The room has been torn down to provide a space for the trucks and seating for the public, the parks department said.
Tavern on the Green, which had been operated by the LeRoy family since 1976, officially closed its doors on Dec. 31, 2009 and was expected to reopen this year under the management of New York restaurateur Dean Poll after the parks department awarded him the contract to operate the restaurant.
Poll, however, could not reach an agreement with Local 6, the labor union representing Tavern’s 400 former employees. As a result, his contract with the parks department was terminated.
It is not known whether the parks department plans to offer another request for proposal on the site and restore the restaurant to its former status as one of New York’s top special occasion restaurants. According to the department, the building currently is undergoing some interior and exterior construction to accommodate the new food court terrace.
Contact Elissa Elan at [email protected].
