Restaurant Opening: The Wright at the Guggenheim

This Friday, the Upper East Side will welcome a new restaurant to the neighborhood: The Wright at the Guggenheim.

Executive Chef Rodolfo Contreras (Bouley, Town) oversees the modern American menu, which draws on local and seasonal ingredients. The Lobster Salad, Winter Squash Risotto and pork belly with caramelized apple were favorites among guests at a preview event on Tuesday. For dessert, choose the excellent Spiced Pumpkin Chocolate Cake over the lychee gelée with coconut mouse.

The museum’s Director of Visitor Services, Maria Celi said the project was five years in the making. She hopes the Wright will be a modern-day Stanhope Hotel, which was once “the place” to dine on the Upper East Side. She noted that when the restaurant’s namesake Frank Lloyd Wright originally designed the Guggenheim, he envisioned the space, which formerly housed a cafeteria, as a restaurant.

In fact, the sleek, contemporary space has the air of a very hip, modern cafeteria. It was designed by Architect Andre Kikoski and features a sculptural installation by Liam Gillick. The piece, along with the blue leather banquettes, gives the white space some strong flashes of color.

The Wright will serve lunch Friday through Wednesday, dinner Thursday through Saturday and a Sunday brunch. Will it be a new neighborhood standard or just a temporary exhibit? See for yourself at 1071 Fifth Avenue at 88th Street. Call 212-427-5690 for reservations.