Why is tavern on the green closing

After a hiatus starting in , the city searched diligently for a new operator to reopen the iconic restaurant in The city selected current owners and restauranteurs Jim Caiola and David Salama, previously of Philadelphia, who would bring a fresh, welcoming approach to Tavern.

The dance floor was enlarged and a large outdoor patio was added, in addition the Elm Tree Room was built. Tavern lavishly reincarnated by Warner LeRoy. Crystal Room added. Waiters flung plates of cardboard-tough pork chops at tourists. It instead tapped Dean Poll, who runs the Boathouse Cafe 14 blocks north. But he never got past talks with the union. Tavern filed for bankruptcy in December LeRoy blamed the city.

It fell dark on Dec. They failed to draw throngs. There were offers from big catering companies. Yet somehow, the city in August chose Caiola and Salama, life and business partners from Philadelphia. Everyone denied any cronyism. On Saturday night, I found most customers ordering pancakes. As the Crystal Room fell to jackhammers, Caiola and Salama waded into a swamp of trouble. The opening planned for early was pushed back by more than a year. But City Hall, having bungled things from the start, now did backflips to keep Caiola and Salama afloat.

The union, prodded by Bloomberg, gave Tavern a two-year grace period from signing a contract from the time it opened. Then, in July , the city quietly deferred the license fee for five years. The restaurant officially announced its reopening date for Thursday, April 29, , which it says will come with a "reimagined" dining scene.

The past year has tested our industry, and we have come back more resilient and innovative than ever. It has been powerful to see how restaurants have adapted and we so look forward to bringing back such a special offering, whether our guests are coming in for dinner in the iconic Central Park Room, or grabbing a cheese plate and cocktails to enjoy in the park.

With either indoor or outdoor dining, guests can dig in to chef Bill Peet's meals. According to the restaurant, Peet plans to debut a new menu for the spring season, but don't worry, the Tavern Burger and its Birthday Cake are still on the menu.