Famous Death Row Last Meals
Food Fights: The Biggest Culinary Scandals Of 2011
 |
| Café des Artistes, Photo: NDX Photos |
According to the restaurant's voicemail, the Café was slated to reopen on Sept. 14 after being on "summer vacation" from Aug. 10 through Sept. 13. George and Jenifer Lang, the owners since 1975, have now chosen to forgo reopening and shut the storied restaurant doors forever.
The New York Times reports the economy and a union lawsuit regarding the restaurant falling behind on payments for medical insurance and welfare funds are to blame.
"It's a very sad day for us," Jenifer Lang told the Times. "It's a death in the family."
The Café des Artistes is located in the lobby of Hotel des Artistes on West 67th Street -- a block that because of its proximity to the Lincoln Center accumulated fierce culinary competitors like Picholine, Telepan and Bar Boulud over the years.
Opened in 1917 and known for its Old World charm and nude murals by Howard Chandler Christy, the restaurant garnered a following in large part due to this bygone-era charm.
The café lived up to its name because when it opened, artists lived and worked virtually everywhere within blocks of the restaurant.
Nine decades later, its dim lighting and classic French dishes catered to bachelors popping the question, Upper West Side characters like Woody Allen, and of course, artists.
As of now, it is unclear what will become of the landmark restaurant space.
[Via New York Times]
PHOTOS: Best And Worst Of Grammy Dresses
Whitney Houston Dead: Singer Dies at 48, Body Found in Beverly Hilton Hotel
LINSANITY CONTINUES
Whitney Houston Autopsy: Cause of Death Determined?
Whitney Houston, Bobbi Kristina: Late Singer's Daughter Hospitalized
Whitney Houston Dead: Stars React to Legend's Sudden Death
Grammy Red Carpet 2012 (PHOTOS)
Grammy 2012 Winners' List: Adele Sweeps Music's Biggest Night
Jennifer Hudson Whitney Tribute: Grammy President Reveals Why Singer Was Chosen for Musical Memorial
Katy Perry Grammy Performance 2012: Did the Diva Diss Her Ex-Hubby With Revealing New Song?
5-Hour Energy: A Success Equal Parts Caffeine, Chemistry and Meditation
People With Easy-To-Pronounce Names More Likely To Succeed, Study Says
8-31-2009 @2:46PM paul said... How about Bookbinders Restaurant in Philadelphia , closing after 125 years in business ?
Reply
8-31-2009 @2:54PM Bob Arthur said... Hopefully a buyer will found who will continue the tradition.
Reply
8-31-2009 @3:01PM Rosemary said... Very sad news. I went there last week and was surpsrised to see the sign, but looked forward to pre-opera drinks there in September. Lots of wonderful meals at cafe des Artistes and loved sitting at the tiny bar in the back. Bye Lannie.
Reply
8-31-2009 @3:09PM John F.C. Taylor said... Famous to who? I'm fairly well informed, but I've never heard of the place. Famous or not, it's sad to see any long standing business go under in this day's economy.
Reply
8-31-2009 @3:23PM Westmond said... Just make it into another McDonald's..... Want fries with that??
Reply
8-31-2009 @3:45PM LUMPY said... "A UNION LAWSUIT BECAUSE OF FALLING BEHIND ON MEDICAL INSURANCE AND WELFARE PAYMENT"....ABOUT SUMS UP THE THINKING OF UNIONS AND STATES....LET A 100 YEAR OLD BUSINESS FAIL, BUT MAKE SURE EVERYONE GETS THEIR FREE WELFARE AND INSURANCE WITHOUT "FEEDING" ANYTHING INTO THE SYSTEM....NOW THE IDIOTS HAVE NOTHING GOING INTO THESE FUNDS FROM THE EATERY AND NOW "ALL" THE EMPLOYEE'S CAN PUT THEIR HANDS OUT...
Reply
8-31-2009 @3:48PM Rollando said... That is sad. Why close it? Why not try to sell it? I am sure they could have found a buyer. Uhm ... maybe one of the TV chefs can move in to fill the empty space with a new restaurant. Perhaps one the new celebrity TV chefs. Or the regulars. Perhaps Bobby Flay, Rachel Ray, Giaida DeLaurentis, Paula Deen, etc can open a new restaurant in place.
Reply
8-31-2009 @3:51PM Bandi said... Gee, who could have forseen that the economy and union problems would cause Another small business to fail!
Too sad. All the more so because it is a part of the history of that place. It added to the atmosphere and allure. Sorry to see them have to shut down. Good luck to the owners.
Reply
8-31-2009 @3:59PM fastmankw said... the unions sure taught them a lesson
Reply
8-31-2009 @4:19PM nick said... UNIONS ARE JUST LIKE OUR GOVERNMENT THEY LEAD YOU INTO A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY. GREED AND POWER ARE OUR WORST ENEMYS WHEN WE KEEP PEOPLE IN POWER TO LONG IN THEIR POSITIONS OF TRUST . I WAS A UNION MEMBER FOR 35 YEARS. NICK.
Reply
8-31-2009 @4:31PM rob said... Was a great place, that and American in Sag. will miss it. Saw Raquel Welsh there a few times , work on her or not she is HOT !!!!
Reply
8-31-2009 @4:47PM Louie said... My wife and I went there once and I totally forgot about the proclivity of people proposing there even though that happened that one time we were there. I have to admit, I sure hope that the woman declined the proposal because after he got down on his knee in front of his intended who was sitting in a round seat in the middle of the restaurant the people in the restaurant, like myself, started applauding and all this guy did was look around at everybody with a dirty look on his face as if we were intruding on him. What a jackass. If he didn't want to attract any attention why the hell was he doing proposing to her in the middle of a full restaurant on a Saturday night in New York! Asshole.
Reply
8-31-2009 @5:05PM Reality check. said...
I agree, UNIONS are no longer here for what they were intended for. To protect workers. They have become w a y to powerful and are -very- corupt!
When u mess with them, they will make a strong attempt to take u down. They are comprised of many
sub-par people (mostly gressy men, with little education). They r here for PROFIT, and once in power they do not easlier release its hold!
Reply
8-31-2009 @5:16PM john said... Cafe Des Artists was a classic old-time NY restuarant, with a unique setting and very good food. I'll sure miss it.
Reply
8-31-2009 @5:32PM silverwolfjohn said... You would always be welcome here in Houston TX. No
Unions,No silly government to interfere in how you run your business and it is a right to work state and no state income tax. As long as you leave ALL Liberalism in New York. We have more resturants than New York anyway.
Reply
8-31-2009 @5:32PM mitchell said... Blame it on the Unions and medical insurance bills. I'm sure the medical bills were 50X the Union dues that gave old Maribel her kidney diaylsis. This place couldn't/ didn't want to make a deal for health benefits. Good for them. Au revior!!!!
Reply
8-31-2009 @5:48PM geo said... food was 1950s..the waiters were 1930s
woody allen ate there alot in the'80s..urinated next to him in the men's room
Reply
8-31-2009 @5:52PM Seymour said... Listen to all you idiots, brainwashed by the rich to hate unions. Now that Bush and his rich buddies have ruined our healthy economy and brought America to its knees with no middle class tax base, you people take THEIR side. How rich are YOU?
Reply
8-31-2009 @5:52PM Wayne said... The restaurant is closing do to the poor economy not thier Union problems.Yes they may be a problem now because of the economy..but should have kept thier payments up that both parties agreed to in negotiations...the workers did not force these on them they both sat at a table an agreed to these payments....if the restaurant could not afford them they would have never asgreed to them...They just stiffed the working man as do all other non-union employers for the most part.most of you anti union sheep...ah..I mean folks...would not know what to do with a voice in the work place...the only promise that a Union gives a man.
Reply
8-31-2009 @8:35PM gARY said... WHO WANTS TO READ WHAT SOMEONE WROTE YESTERDAY - FOREVER! mAKE THE ORDER "DESC" SO THE LATEST ONES ARE AT THE TOP AND YOU WILL GENERATE MORE THAN A 10 SECOND LOOK AT YOUR PAGE
Reply