The Upper West Side may be in a constant state of flux—cozy bookstores giving way to condos, beloved bakeries replaced by bank branches—but Café Luxembourg has remained an unshakable pillar of the neighborhood since 1983. This Paris-by-way-of-Broadway boîte first opened under the direction of Keith McNally and Lynn Wagenknecht (the duo behind The Odeon), and in the decades since, it has perfected the art of being a New York classic: not too stuffy, not too trendy, just perfectly poised. Its soft-glow lighting, red leather banquettes, and brass fixtures feel untouched by time—though the menu, a greatest hits of French-American comfort (think: frisée aux lardons, moules frites, and a burger that rivals its downtown counterpart at Balthazar), remains as sharp as ever. If the Upper West Side has a main character, Café Luxembourg is surely it.
Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi at Lincoln Center.Photo: Courtesy of Tatiana
Lincoln Center has long been a beacon of high culture, a place where tuxedoed patrons sip Champagne before an evening of Verdi or Balanchine. But with the arrival of Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi, the institution has been infused with something new: a bold, electrifying celebration of New York’s diasporic soul. Opened in late 2022, the restaurant is a deeply personal project from Onwuachi, who first made waves on Top Chef before cementing himself as one of America’s most exciting culinary talents. Named after his sister, Tatiana is a love letter to his Bronx childhood, to the flavors of the Caribbean and West Africa, and to the very essence of what makes New York, New York.
The menu reads like a mixtape of cultures and cuisines: egusi dumplings swirled in a deeply spiced tomato broth, truffle-laced chopped cheese sliders, braised oxtail that falls apart at the mere suggestion of a fork. Even the seafood—like the signature crab dumplings—feels like a nod to a city built on reinvention. The space itself is just as vibrant, with warm wood tones, soft lighting, and a soundtrack that hums with the energy of hip-hop, jazz, and Afrobeats. It’s not just a restaurant; it’s a cultural moment. The Upper West Side has never quite seen a dining destination like this—one that honors the past while redefining the future. And judging by the impossible-to-get reservations, New Yorkers are ready for it.
Photo: Getty Images
