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| 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]
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