Morningside Park Getting New Food Spot From Longtime Harlem Chef

HARLEM, NY — It's been years since visitors of Morningside Park have had a place to stop for food and drinks, but that will change next year, when a long-stalled cafe kiosk opens with a Harlem cook at the helm.

The kiosk will be built on the park's east side, along Manhattan Avenue near West 112th Street, the Parks Department told the neighborhood's Community Board 9 on Wednesday.

It will open by the late spring of 2023, the department said.

Funding and operating it will be Michael Summerville, whose business Crabman Mike has become a staple at local events like the Bronx Night Market. Specializing in Cajun seafood boil dishes like blue crabs and lobsters, Summerville says the business is a tribute to his father, who sold seafood along 125th Street for 30 years.

"I’m just trying to continue the legacy that my father started," he told Patch.

The new spot will be known as Morningside Park Cafe, serving Summerville's signature seafood items as well as standard "American fare" like hot dogs, kid-friendly dishes, and healthier smoothies and salads.

Summerville is paying for the construction of the kiosk, which will be designed by the architect George Ranalli.

The city has been trying since as far back as 2019 to open a food service facility in Morningside Park, with Summerville's selection as the operator marking a big step forward.

"We've been sort of asking for a cafe concession there for many, many years," said Brad Taylor, president of Friends of Morningside Park.

A previous vendor known as Muscoota Café operated in the park for just one season in 2003, with the space left dormant since then. The city came up empty in recent years when it put out "requests for proposals" seeking operators for the not-yet-built kiosk, Taylor said.

This time, Taylor's group "beat the bushes" to persuade local businesses to apply, with Summerville winning out in the end.

Plans for the kiosk will still need to be approved by the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission. It will have the full support of Friends of Morningside — Taylor noted with approval that the kiosk will be in the midblock, meaning it will not impede the iconic view of the park down 112th Street with the Cathedral of St. John the Divine looming above.

Summerville said he was "very excited to be selected as the concessionaire," adding that his cafe would have "a little bit of everything" once it opens next year.

"Stay tuned," he said.

This article has been updated to reflect the fact that Summerville is funding the construction of the kiosk.