UWS Loses Two Restaurants At NY Historical Society

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY – The New-York Historical Society is losing another anchor restaurant – and a cafe – according to Eater.

Clara and Cafe 77, which were both located inside the New-York Historical Society at 170 Central Park West on the corner of 77th Street, have closed after less than a year.

“The restaurant and cafe business is very challenging,” a spokesperson told Eater.

The space previously housed Storico, which closed in July 2023 after more than ten years inside the museum.

Clara, which was named for Clara Driscoll, who ran the women’s glass-cutting department at Tiffany’s from 1892 to 1909, was led by Diego Moya when it first opened in the fall of 2023.

“A few Tiffany pieces and other items from that era fill the shelves that decorate the airy, off-white dining room,” wrote the New York Times, “but, like shards of truffle over pasta, not enough to make a statement.”

The location may not have helped. The New-York Historical Society's entrance is on Central Park West, whereas museum restaurants are typically accessed on 77th Street.

Oddly enough, 77th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue is something of a dead zone. It’s on the off side of the Museum of Natural History, and receives less foot traffic than 81 Street (on the other side of the museum).

"We're looking for new operators," museum staff told Patch.