Union Square Cafe


Union Square Cafe is an American restaurant featuring New American cuisine, located at 101 E 19th St, in the Union Square neighborhood of the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York. It is owned by the Union Square Hospitality Group.

Ownership, cuisine and design

Opened in October 1985 by Danny Meyer and chef Ali Barker, it features New American cuisine with Italian influences.
The original restaurant was designed by architect Larry Bogdanow. The new location is designed by architect David Rockwell.

Awards and accolades

The restaurant has won multiple awards and honors since its inception, including the ranking of "Favorite New York Restaurant" in the Zagat Survey in the 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2008 editions. Notably, the restaurant did not receive a Michelin star during Michelin's 2005 review of New York restaurants, leading to concerns that the guide might be biased towards French cuisine or restaurants that "emphasize formality and presentation".
The 2016 novel Sweetbitter is primarily set in a fictionalized version of the restaurant.