Gramercy Tavern

42 E 20th Street

New York, NY 10003

Tel: +1 212-477-0777

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | DECEMBER 5, 2025

More than 30 years after opening, Gramercy Tavern remains a benchmark for fine dining in New York City. That’s saying a lot in a town where restaurants come and go practically every day. I first dined at Gramercy Tavern in 2005, shortly after I moved to New York City. It quickly became a favorite. While most articles in our Vinous Table column are about a special meal, this article is a departure, mostly because I have been to Gramercy so many times over the years that I find it challenging to reduce my experiences to a meal or two.

Grilled Flatbread; Seasonal Dips.

Proprietor Danny Meyer opened Union Square Café, his first restaurant, in 1985. He was 27 years old at the time. Union Square Café revitalized an entire neighborhood, went on to become a New York City institution and is still going strong. Among his many achievements, Meyer and his Union Square Hospitality Group were pioneers in the early days of what became known as the farm-to-table movement, and early proponents of elevated standards in hospitality that are now the norm. In 1994, Meyer opened Gramercy Tavern with Chef Tom Colicchio. Today, Chef Michael Anthony and his team offer a menu of seasonal cuisine, much of it from the open kitchen, that remains very much in line with what has always been the spirit here.

Ricotta Cavatelli; Tomatoes, Swiss Chard, Basil.

There are two main dining areas. The Tavern, located in the front of the restaurant, offers à la carte dining in an informal setting. The Seafood Platter and Tavern Burger are mainstays on a menu rich in what is best described as elevated comfort food. Grilled Flatbread is served with an assortment of seasonal dips and is a great option for sharing. I rarely miss a chance to have one of Anthony’s pastas. The ambience is always lively and buzzing. It’s a terrific slice of New York City life. Sidewalk dining, available in the summer months, is a nice alternative for those who have been to the restaurant before.

The Tavern Burger; Duck Fat Potato Chips, Smoked Onion Aioli.

The Dining Room is a bit more formal, with white tablecloths, larger tables and a quieter feel.

Guests can choose from à la carte dining or a four-course menu at lunch, while dinner is presented as a five-course tasting menu. There’s perhaps just a bit more seasonality in the Dining Room. Although the ambiance is a touch more elegant than it is in The Tavern, service here never feels stuffy or overdone.

Montauk Sea Scallops; Apples, Yuzu, Dill from The Dining Room’s Tasting Menu.

Over the years, we have also hosted numerous Vinous events in the small private dining room, including a Selosse dinner in 2022, the lunch portion of our complete Soldera retrospective in 2023 and a Littorai lunch as part of Vinous Icons in early 2025. These events have always been extremely well received by our guests.

Desserts, from left to right: Chocolate Chunk Cookie, Yogurt Panna Cotta, Corn Sundae.

The wine program is exceptional by any standard. Guests will find many options by the glass and on the abbreviated section at the beginning of the wine list. Champagne is very well represented. I also admire the focus on American wines, something I wish was more common. Pricing remains quite fair by New York City standards for all but a few of the most coveted bottles. Gramercy’s non-alcoholic drinks, which I get to taste courtesy of my children, are both delicious and show real imagination.

Donnachadh 2019 Estate Chardonnay for the adults and a tasty blueberry mocktail for the kids.

New York City is full of great restaurants. Some are fancier, others are perhaps trendier or cooler. No matter. Gramercy Tavern remains as relevant as ever, a timeless classic in the city that never sleeps.

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