Elusive cafe in NYC
 

Hoping somebody can assist - 5 years ago on my last visit to New York the shuttle from the airport went past an inviting looking café, which I am reasonably sure is either in the Lower East Side or East Village area. From memory it had a few steps leading up to its front door (on left side as facing it) and was lit at night by grand looking chandeliers. It had a late 20th century Viennese café look about it.

On my forthcoming trip I'd love to visit it - does it sound familiar to anyone Thanks in anticipation.

Maybe the Inn at Irving Place?

http://www.concierge.com/travelguide...hotoview/27385

I should have added that Lady Mendl's Tea Salon is in the In the Inn at Irving Place.

http://wendihiebert.com/2009/05/20/l...new-york-city/

This is not the cafe you saw--it's up near the Metropolitan Museum, but since you mentioned Viennese café, you might enjoy it. It's wonderful.

http://www.neuegalerie.org/cafes/sabarsky

~Liz

I live in that area and I cannot think of anything with a grand chandeliers.

"I live in that area and I cannot think of anything with a grand chandeliers." I live in the area as well, and am equally mystified.


The only thing that comes close (chandeliers) for me is the building at 827 Broadway that used to have an antiques shop on the ground floor and Belle Epoque catering facilities on the second floor. If you googlemap it in street view, you will see the details. Neither of these places exists anymore.

A cafe possibility is Di Fiore Marquet at 15 East 12th Street, but it doesn't sound grand enough, though may be misleading from a taxi.

I suspect one might have confused the front entrance to ABC Carpet & Home at 888 Broadway with a grand cafe. They do have a cafe inside.

Is the only definition of a "grand chandelier" one with crystal?

Here are photos of the interior Lady Mendl's Tea Salon at the Inn on Irving Place.

http://www.mombloggerbuzz.com/wp-con...ng-place10.jpg

http://images.oyster.com/photos/rest...24-32-1600.jpg

Here is another photo of the outside taken at night posted on TripAdvisor

http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/med...nes-create.jpg

other photos of the interior, with mirrors reflecting the windows on the street

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-qmB27QFBj...h/DSCN9375.JPG

At night, driving by, those might appear to be chandeliers of some sort.

However, the OP says the upstairs door is on the left, and the door on Irving Place is on the right! So maybe that cafe will continue to be elusive.

Not a cafe, but a restaurant/bar, but it's got the door on the left (but it's in the west, not east, village)

Bobo

http://www.thebespokeny.com/wp-conte.../04/bobo1.jpeg

Thanks for all the suggestions - unfortunately none look like the cafe of memory. It's possible it was a bit further uptown as it was my first night ever in the city and May have been disoriented.