The Loeb Boathouse Restaurant Closes -- For Now

Sad news: the Loeb Boathouse Restaurant in Central Park is schedule to close in October.

Originally built by Calvert Vaux in the 19th century, the boathouse has been rebuilt a few times, most recently in the 1950s. The restaurant has been a favorite of New Yorkers and tourists, and there's nothing more enjoyable than having an admittedly high-priced meal on a beautiful day in front of the lake, the park and skyline of the city surrounding you. 

The restaurant, like all of them in NYC, got hit hard by COVID in 2020 but it recovered. However, rising costs have apparently hollowed out its finances, even with record patronage. The Parks Department, which leases out the restaurant space, is looking for another vendor but I don't know how any other vendor could make it profitable. It'll be interesting to see what replaces it -- if anything. It's an invaluable location and a great space. I could see it becoming some kind sandwich or grill stand with lots of tables, or maybe a bar. But a full service sit-down restaurant with a kitchen staff and waiters and bus boys everything might not be economically viable anymore. 

I have a special memory of the Loeb Boathouse Restaurant -- it's where my wife and I treated ourselves to lunch after learning that our first child would be a girl. It was a gorgeous summer day and we couldn't think of a more enjoyable place to celebrate this life-changing news.

The Loeb Boathouse Restaurant was also immortalized in popular culture in a scene from the 1989 classic movie When Harry Met Sally ... While not as notorious as the Katz's Deli scene, I can't think of a more beautiful restaurant scene set in NYC in any movie ever.

I hope the restaurant comes back one day but, for now, enjoy this clip from its glory years. Farewell for now: