Tavern on the Green Goes Softly Into the Night, One Plate at a Time

For seventy-five years, New Yorkers flocked to Tavern on the Green to dine on signature dished like the special New York City “Marathon Pasta”, Sliced Duck Breasts with Shallot-Ginger Glaze, and Chocolate-Espresso Mousse. (Or, if you were Jack Nicholson, a bottle of bourbon with ice on the side). The restaurant once served 700,000 meals a year to the likes of Frank Sinatra, Woody Allen and Rudy Giuliani. But on Wednesday, the restaurant began serving up a very different kind of fare.

Tavern on the Green closed its doors on New Years day this year, but it is still trying to recover its eight million dollar debt. Chandeliers, artwork and pots and pans were among the 20,000 items Guernsey’s set out to auction off this week. Regis Philbin and Drew Nierporent (Tribeca Grill, Nobu) attended the first day of the auction.

The first piece to go was the iconic Tavern on the Green Sign which went for $5,500 and another seventy items sold in the first hour and a half. Many bids met expected price estimates and some exceeded expectations, such as a glass Tiffany lamp sold that sold for $18,000. A molded glass chandelier valued at $80,000 did not fare as well and sold for only $15, 000.

Some say it ain’t over ‘till the fat lady sings. But in the case of Tavern on the Green, it ain’t over ‘till the 3,000 plates you purchased a year have all found new cabinets to live in. Hopefully the plates, which are used to the fresh air and foliage of Central Park, will do adapt to their new environments.

Via: Crains New York