UES Vegan Restaurant Candle 79 To Close, Owners Say

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — A beloved Upper East Side vegan restaurant that was recently named one of the country's best vegetarian eateries, will close this year after 16 years in business.

Candle 79 will serve its last customers on New Year's Eve, owners said in a Facebook post. Owners wrote in the post that "real estate development has claimed the building we've called home for sixteen wonderful years."

"Since 2003, Candle 79 has been at the forefront of the movement to bring plant-based eating into the mainstream. As we've grown, we've watched in awe as people throughout the world have changed minds, hearts and lifestyles to embrace a way of eating that is healthier, kinder and gentler for all. We are proud to know that our work helped light the fire for this beautiful revolution of the spirit," the message reads.

Owners of the vegan restaurant also thanked Candle 79 employees and guests in the note, writing "it has been our honor to feed you, celebrate with you, and call you our family."

Candle 79's building at 154 East 79th Street, just off the corner of Lexington Avenue, sold in 2018 for $12.75 million, according to public real estate records. No development plans for the location have been filed with the city Department of Buildings. The new owner of the Upper East Side property is an entity called East 79th Street Development LLC.

In October, Candle 79 was named one of OpenTable's 50 best vegetarian restaurants in America. The Upper East Side restaurant was one of seven eateries in New York City honored with a spot on the list. More than 30,000 reviews on Opentable's platform were analyzed in order to create the ranking.

Candle Cafe East, the flagship restaurant of the group that owned Candle 79, will remain open on Third Avenue and East 75th Street.