Some of New York City’s oldest icons are currently in the business of launching new icons. For the first time since 1930, Manhattan’s beloved Chelsea Hotel is opening a new restaurant concept — introducing Café Chelsea. The new all-day restaurant is a French-American bistro concept that is open to the public and hotel guests.
Photo Credit: Annie Schlechter
Operated by Sunday Hospitality and partner Charles Seich, this restaurant is the hotel’s first since the opening of El Quijote. Café Chelsea will feature classic French dishes and a curated menu inspired by traditional French cuisine by Chef Derek Boccagno. With a focus on exceptional ingredients, staple dishes will include Poulet Rôti, Tartare de Boeuf, Façon Niçoise, and Raviole du Dauphiné, among many others.
Photo Credit: Noah Fecks
Wine Director Claire Paparazzo has curated a wine list fitting for the concept, with an emphasis on both French and American producers, in addition to other global wines. Paparazzo elaborates, “The focus of the wine list being primarily French and Domestic was alluring because it was a way to reflect on inspiration from influential restaurants, past trips I’ve taken and from years of collecting wines from a vast group of vignerons doing incredible things with their craft as winemakers, who both respect the earth and are making a difference.”
Photo Credit: Annie Schlechter
The list will feature a broad range of wines, ranging from high-ticket items for collectors to more approachable wines for everyday enjoyment. The cocktail offerings, created by Director of Bars Brian Evans, will feature interpretations of classics, showcasing French-born spirits in various drinking styles, as well as a selection of spirit-free libations; the menu will include the Blue Venus, a riff on the French ‘75, Vesper de Provence, The Duluc Detective, inspired by the Boulevardier, among others.
Photo Credit: Noah Fecks
The full dining experience is only enhanced by the ambiance and aesthetic of the restaurant’s interior. Café Chelsea was designed to compliment the historic building, emanating a sense that it’s always been part of the hotel. Works of art that have belonged to the property for decades hang throughout the space, and traditional French accents have been incorporated, including a Zinc bar, vintage chandeliers, and decorative molding. There are dedicated formal dining room space – the Petit Café, a sun-drenched day-time cafe, and the Grand Café, which serves as the main dining room – as well as a 20-seat private dining space called the ‘Wine Room,’ which will become available at a later date. A verdant Solarium with its own dedicated bar can also be privatized.
Café Chelsea is opening for dinner seven nights a week beginning at 5 pm, with plans to open all day offering breakfast and lunch in the near future; reservations can be made via Resy.
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