New York—Central Park’s iconic Loeb Boathouse has partially reopened in time for the summer season, with a new cafe menu, new operator and colorful boats after it closed last year due to financial struggles.
The boat rentals and cafe — located on the building’s north side, with an 80-seat outdoor patio — will operate seven days a week. The new food menu ranges from $4 pastries to $25 lobster rolls, and all orders are packaged to go.
The famous main dining room overlooking the lake will not be open until late summer or early fall, new operator Legends said in a press release, as renovations continue.
Those hoping to take one of the 100 available boats for a spin on the lake will pay $25 an hour, up from $20 last year. Walk-ins are welcome on a first-come, first-served basis but online bookings will soon also be available through reservation service OpenTable. There is a maximum allowance of four people per boat and children under 12 have to wear life jackets.
The hospitality giant Legends was announced as the new management of the famed eatery in February after it closed its doors on December 31 of last year due to rising costs. It had closed in October 2020 because of the pandemic and briefly reopened in spring of 2021 before shuttering again.
“The Boathouse can come back better than ever, ensuring tourists and New Yorkers alike can enjoy this beautiful space and scenery once again,” Mayor Eric Adams said when announcing the new operator in February.
The original Central Park Boathouse dates to the 1870s and its modern iteration opened in March 1954. It has proved popular with locals and tourists ever since, and has appeared in movies such as “When Harry Met Sally” and “The Manchurian Candidate.”
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