Whether you're a newcomer to New York City, or a seasoned resident, everyone should at least once visit the beautiful
Loeb Boathouse at the north eastern tip of the lake in the middle of Central Park - just a short stroll from Fifth Avenue and 72nd Street.
An iconic New York restaurant
The Loeb Boathouse is home to the Boathouse Restaurant a famous icon of Central Park. Overlooking the Lake it's the perfect place to dine on a relaxing afternoon lunch or romantic dinner in the warmer months, and if you're lucky, you might even spot a celebrity or two - or a gondola glide by.
Take a romantic gondola ride
The Boathouse is the perfect place to launch your exploration of Central Park.
Rowboat and Bicycle rentals enable you to do just that from a completely unique perspective.
Row, row, row your boat
If you're a Sex & The City fan, you might remember the episode with the Boathouse Restaurant as the backdrop for Big and Carrie's lunch, where they both end up going for an unintentional swim.
Big and Carrie take a swim
The original Victorian two-storey boathouse was designed around 1874. Visitors could buy drinks, take boat rides and spend an afternoon picnicking. Unfortunately the original boathouse burned down and the current building took its place in the 1950s.
With four different venues to enjoy your meal by the lake, the Boathouse Restaurant leaves you spoilt for choice with its diverse menus.
Lakeside Dining,
Bar & Grill, and
Express Cafe offer an idyllic setting and irresistible food.
I chose Lakeside Dining for lunch and tucked into Roasted Scottish Salmon, which was served with carmelized root vegetables, and an amazing Pinot Noir sauce. My dining companion had Muscovy Duck Breast with wild rice- apple pancake. At around $25 per serve, not exactly cheap eats, but most emphatically worth it if you're going to splurge just once for lunch in New York. The view was marvellous, food exceptional, and the atmosphere heavenly, even in mid-December.
To reach The Boathouse, enter the park at 5th Ave and 72nd Street and follow the traffic road to the right. A shuttle service is also available at 15-20 minute intervals. It stops at the corner of 72nd St., 80th St. near the Metropolitan Museum's garage and 90th St., on 5th Ave on the East Side.
Restaurant Hours:
Mon thru Friday
Lunch - 12:00-4:00
Dinner (April-November) - 5:30-9:30 the last seating or reservation
Saturday and Sunday
Brunch - 9:30 am-4:00 pm
Dinner (April-November) - 6:00 PM- 9:30
