NEW YORK CITY: Philly Gay Couple To Reopen Tavern On The Green

Crain's New York Business profiles the well-connected Philadelphia gay couple who will re-open Central Park's legendary Tavern On The Green, which closed in bankruptcy in 2009 after almost 75 years in business.

Philadelphia restaurateurs Jim Caiola and David Salama celebrated this summer when they were selected by the Bloomberg administration over several local heavyweights to run Tavern on the Green. But their joy was quickly tempered by a torrent of criticism about their qualifications. [snip] The attacks stung the partners, who have not responded to their critics—until now. "It feels like we are cleaning up a mess rather than starting over," said Mr. Caiola, referring not only to the charges of nepotism but also to their extensive plans to reopen the Central Park eatery in November 2013 after a four-year hiatus. Mr. Caiola, 49, was a filmmaker before entering the restaurant business in 1998. Mr. Salama, 48, studied fine arts in his 20s and then took on the role of chef at their crêperie, Beau Monde. The partners, a couple who are raising two adopted children, come to New York once a week to survey ongoing renovations and plan their work. They will move here in the coming months. "What we bring to the table is real positive, maybe naive, energy," Mr. Caiola said.

Tavern On The Green was often the highest-grossing restaurant in the nation with annual revenues reaching as high as $38M.  Since its 2009 closure the city has run it as a visitors' center with gourmet food trucks parked outside. (Tipped by JMG reader Alan)

Tavern On The Weenie

Central Park's famed Tavern On The Green, which recently closed in bankruptcy despite being the second-highest grossing restaurant in the country, is going to have a new life. As a snack bar and souvenir stand.

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg envisions an unexpected, humble but most likely temporary destiny for the closed, bankrupt, once-glittering Tavern on the Green restaurant: a snack bar, visitor center and retail store. The mayor’s announcement came after six months of negotiations collapsed on Thursday between the restaurateur who was expected to become Tavern’s operator and the union that represents its 400 former employees. In a statement, the mayor said that the city would solicit proposals “from anyone that wants to reopen it as a restaurant,” adding that “during that period, which will last several months, we’ll use the venue as a visitor center and snack bar, similar to the successful Central Park Dairy, and also a retail shop.”

Earlier this year the restaurant's opulent fixtures and artwork were sold at auction.

Tavern On The Green Closing

Central Park's Tavern On The Green, the nation's highest grossing and arguably most famous restaurant, will close tomorrow after 75 years in business.

The former sheepfold at the edge of Central Park, now ringed by twinkling lights and fake topiary animals, is preparing for New Year's Eve, when it will serve its last meal. Just three years ago, it was plating more than 700,000 meals annually, bringing in more than $38 million. But that astronomical sum wasn't enough to keep the landmark restaurant out of bankruptcy court. Its $8 million debt is to be covered at an auction of Baccarat and Waterford chandeliers, Tiffany stained glass, a mural depicting Central Park and other over-the-top decor that has bewitched visitors for decades.

The city has awarded a contract to operate a restaurant on the premises to the company that owns the Loeb Boathouse, which is also in Central Park. Next month a court will decide on whether the new owners can use the Tavern On The Green name.