Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group Moves Its Flagship Restaurant to 19th Street and Debuts Daily Provisions—A New Fine-Casual Eatery—Next Door
NEW YORK, NY (December 5, 2016): Union Square Cafe—one of the country’s most beloved restaurants, a New York institution, and the flagship business that launched Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group—will re-open its doors at its new location in the neighborhood it has called home for over 30 years on Thursday, December 8th.
Newly located on the corner of 19th Street and Park Avenue South in Union Square, the restaurant will celebrate its 30-year heritage of seasonal, farm-to-table cooking with a refreshed menu offered in a lively, convivial setting, lovingly designed by David Rockwell and his team at Rockwell Group. The restaurant will introduce two private dining rooms, together accommodating up to 40 guests, and an opening menu featuring Hospitality Included, Union Square Hospitality Group’s non-tipping initiative. Technology will be employed to enhance the guest experience in partnership with Resy, which will power restaurant reservations and mobile payments, and also facilitate team communication via an app designed for the Apple Watch.
“We’ve so missed being able to welcome guests and longtime friends to Union Square Cafe over this past year, and I can’t overstate how soul-satisfying it will be to open our doors and bring Union Square Cafe back into our lives,” said Danny Meyer, Chief Executive Officer of Union Square Hospitality Group.
In its new home, Union Square Cafe will embody the heartfelt passion and generosity that has been the restaurant’s calling card since it opened in 1985. The team of Executive Chef Carmen Quagliata and Director of Operations Sam Lipp will oversee operations at both Union Square Cafe and Daily Provisions. Carmen’s updated menu for Union Square Cafe takes a fresh look at the seasonal cooking style that guests came to love at the original location by drawing inspiration from the kitchens and tables of Italy, France, and Northern California. The menu will include a balance of new dishes and treasured classics.
“I’m excited to bring this new space to life with the dishes we have been working on for the last 10 months. It puts a big smile on my face to settle back into the cadence of the kitchen, and re-engage with the Greenmarket, the seasons, and our guests.” said Carmen Quagliata, Executive Chef of Union Square Cafe and Daily Provisions.
Union Square Cafe’s wine list—updated by the restaurant’s new Wine Director, Jason Wagner—will serve as a nod to the restaurant’s past as well as its future. The menu will be centered around the longstanding relationships with vintners and wineries the restaurant has built for more than 30 years, and seamlessly blend longtime friends and favorites like Fontodi, Billecart-Salmon and Shafer Vineyards, along with selections from emerging producers and regions. Much like Carmen’s seasonal cooking, the wine list will draw from classic regions and historically significant producers in France, Italy, and the United States. Wine pricing is all-inclusive, with Hospitality Included. In addition to wine, Union Square Cafe will offer a robust cocktail menu, a curated selection of New York craft brews and Northeast and Mid-Atlantic ciders, as well as Forty Weight coffee.
"Wine has always been an integral part of the dining experience at Union Square Cafe. By honoring the philosophy Danny created in 1985, we were able to create a beverage program that offers outstanding value, excites all types of palates, and celebrates the evolution in the world of wine over the past several decades," said Jason Wagner, Wine Director of Union Square Cafe and Daily Provisions.
David Rockwell and his team at Rockwell Group designed both Daily Provisions and Union Square Cafe’s new home. Rockwell Group preserves Union Square Cafe’s signature charm, intimacy, and familiarity, while incorporating updated fixtures and design aspects that create a fresh, contemporary dining environment. Upon arrival, guests will immediately feel right at home with the restaurant’s iconic neon sign and an entry canopy reminiscent of the original on 16th Street. The new space is now nearly double in size, with double-height ceilings that allow for a light and airy dining room. Guests can opt to dine in the first floor dining room or upstairs on the mezzanine, overlooking the bustling main floor.
“We are absolutely thrilled about the re-opening Union Square Cafe and the launch of Daily Provisions. I fell in love with this project. Danny and his team are amazing restaurateurs and it’s truly a privilege to work with them. Regulars and a new generation of diners are going to enjoy the warm embrace of best in class hospitality in spaces that feel fresh and new and underpinned with the pedigree of Union Square Cafe,” said David Rockwell, Founder and President of Rockwell Group.
The restaurant’s first floor is divided into two sections, inclusive of the expansive main bar and the dining room. The mahogany bar offers 15 comfortable seats, ideal for an intimate meal or pre-dinner drinks. The 95-seat dining room is surrounded by double-height windows with optimal natural lighting and views of the neighborhood cityscape. Upstairs on the balcony, guests can visit the second floor lounge serving craft cocktails from behind a portion of Union Square Cafe’s original bar. The balcony also features Union Square Cafe’s two private dining rooms, accommodating up to 40 guests, as well as a 10-seat alcove table presiding over the lively bar. Much like its original home, Union Square Cafe’s ambiance is enhanced by a collection of works by artists Frank Stella, Claes Oldenberg, Richard Polsky, Jonathan Borofsky, Robert Kushner, and Judy Rifka, a portion of whose mural from the 16th Street location has been reframed and mounted in its new home.
“We wanted to pay homage to our roots by bringing along favorite touches from 16th Street as we embarked on this exciting new chapter.” said Sam Lipp, Director of Operations of Union Square Cafe and Daily Provisions.
Debuting soon after Union Square Cafe will be Daily Provisions, an all-day coffee and sandwich shop located in the tiny alcove next door to Union Square Cafe on 19th Street. Equipped with an in-house bakery, Daily Provisions will offer a seasonal menu of made-to-order dishes and breads available to stay or to go throughout the day. Daily Provisions is created with the neighborhood in mind, acting as an extension of guests’ home or office. The day starts with freshly-brewed Joe Coffee, artisanal tea from In Pursuit of Tea, freshly baked breads, made-to-order breakfast sandwiches, and pastries. At lunch, Daily Provisions leverages the close relationships that its sister restaurant, Union Square Cafe, has developed with local farmers to create seasonal salads and sandwiches highlighting breads by Head Baker Justin Rosengarten. For dessert, guests can enjoy sweets by Pastry Chef Daniel Alvarez. Craft beers, wine, cold brew, and batch cocktails are served on draft. Growlers are also available for guests on the go, which can be filled with coffee or beer depending on the occasion.
Nodding towards its Irving Place neighbors, Daily Provisions’ design evokes the feeling of an intimate boîte. Its blue interior is accented by brass, wood, and marble accents. The tiny space is anchored by the main counter and its striking centerpiece created by Chris Pence and Mark Warren of HAAND, the North Carolina-based, hand-crafted ceramics company that created Union Square Cafe and Daily Provisions’ “farmhouse futuristic” custom mugs and plates. Rockwell Group’s custom furniture and fixtures are designed to transform as Daily Provisions transitions from day to night. The high-top communal table and daytime pick-up table will join together at night to become one large, communal dinner table. The eye-catching bakery wall that displays freshly-baked bread by day, rotates to become a chalkboard complete with that night’s dinner menu.
Union Square Cafe will re-open with Hospitality Included, Union Square Hospitality Group’s initiative to eliminate tipping at all 13 of its New York restaurants. Hospitality Included is designed to compensate the entire team—in both the kitchen and the dining room—more equitably, competitively, and professionally, and provide clear paths for professional advancement.
Union Square Cafe will initially offer lunch and dinner service daily. Daily Provisions will be open daily, serving breakfast from 7:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., followed by lunch service until 5:30 p.m. For more information on Union Square Cafe, please visit www.unionsquarecafe.com, and Daily Provisions at www.dailyprovisionsnyc.com.
About Union Square Hospitality Group
Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG) was founded by Danny Meyer and includes some of New York City’s most beloved restaurants: Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern, Blue Smoke, Jazz Standard, The Modern, Cafe 2 and Terrace 5 (located at the Museum of Modern Art), Maialino, Untitled and Studio Cafe at the Whitney Museum of American Art, North End Grill, Marta, and Porchlight. The company also includes Union Square Events, a catering and venue hospitality business, and Hospitality Quotient, an organizational consulting business empowering companies to transform their business through the power of hospitality. Each USHG restaurant is lovingly hand crafted and distinctive, and each strives to distinguish itself for warm hospitality and consistent excellence. Danny, his restaurants, and chefs have earned an unprecedented 28 James Beard Awards, including: Outstanding Restaurant of the Year; Outstanding Service; Outstanding Wine Service; Humanitarian of the Year; Who’s Who of Food & Beverage; and Best Restaurant Design. Union Square Cafe and Gramercy Tavern are perennially ranked on the top of the ‘Most Popular’ list in the Zagat Survey, with Union Square Cafe holding the #1 spot nine times. www.ushgnyc.com
About Rockwell Group
Based in New York with a satellite office in Madrid, Rockwell Group is an interdisciplinary architecture and design firm that emphasizes innovation and thought leadership in every project. The 250-person firm uses theater, technology, and finely-wrought craft to create extraordinary experiences and built environments across the globe. Founded by David Rockwell, FAIA, the firm creates extraordinary experiences and built environments across the globe. Projects include the TED Theater (Vancouver); NeueHouse (New York and Los Angeles); W Hotels (New York, Paris, Madrid, Suzhou, Singapore and Vieques); the New York EDITION; Nobu restaurants and hotels worldwide; and set designs for Falsettos, She Loves Me, Kinky Boots, and The Normal Heart. Honors and recognition include a Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for Best Scenic Design for She Loves Me; the AIANY President’s Award; the Cooper Hewitt National Design Award; and the Presidential Design Award. For more information, please visit www.rockwellgroup.com.
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