RA Opens New Cafe in Lincoln Center

Restaurant Associates opened a new dining venue at Lincoln Center in New York City on February 24th. Called at65 and part of an extensive renovation of the historic performing arts complex, the 55-seat bar/cafe is located in the grand foyer of Lincoln Center’s new Alice Tully Hall. The café name refers both to Lincoln Center concert hall benefactress Alice Tully and to its location on 65th Street and Broadway.

It will be open from 8 am to 9 pm seven days a week—and one hour after the final curtain on performance nights—to serve both concert patrons and the general public. Wrapped by a multi-story glass curtain wall offering patrons expansive views of Broadway and 65th Street, at65 is dominated by a distinctive 70-foot bar made of Azul Ataija limestone, and also features plush, lounge-style seating in addition to tables and chairs.

“We are transforming our campus into a more welcoming, more accessible place to enjoy the performing arts, and it is vital that we have more and better amenities for our guests,” says Lincoln Center President Reynold Levy. "When our transformation is complete, we will be offering a variety of dining options in a range of price levels. The new at65 will serve not only our concert patrons but also casual visitors to our campus and our neighbors on the Upper West Side."

at65 will serve breakfast, lunch, and supper along with a full bar. There will be counter service earlier in the day, table service in the evening and take-out will be available as well.

In the morning, coffee and espresso drinks will be on the menu, accompanied by hot breakfast sandwiches, fruit, and a selection of baked goods from the city's best bakeries. For lunch and supper, Mediterranean flatbread sandwiches will be a menu mainstay, as will classic American baked casseroles such as macaroni and cheese topped with candied, smoked bacon. Salads, soups, and beverages round out the menu.

Making at65 a destination for evening cocktails will be its selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, including the Tully Tini signature cocktail, an icy blend of vodka, St-Germain elderflower liqueur and dry vermouth, garnished with the petal of a red rose.

Other dining options currently available at Lincoln Center include the Arpeggio Food and Wine wine bar, the Center Room buffet restaurant and the Espresso Bar coffee bar. These are all located in Avery Fisher Hall and are also operated by Restaurant Associates. In the Metropolitan Opera house, Patina Restaurant Group operates The Grand Tier, a fine dining restaurant located beneath the stunning Chagall murals. As Lincoln Center completes its redevelopment, it plans to announce more new onsite restaurants and cafes.

Alice Tully Hall, originally completed in 1969, was the last theater in the original Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts complex to be built. It serves as home of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, as well as presentations by Lincoln Center, Inc., The Juilliard School, the Film Society of Lincoln Center, and others. Opened to the public on February 22, 2009, its opening is the first significant public component of the dramatic transformation of Lincoln Center's 16-acre urban campus and a prelude to the institution's year-long 50th anniversary celebration. The hall, redesigned by architects Diller Scofidio Renfro in association with FX Fowle, opens with a two-week Opening Nights Festival of exciting performances.