Central Park Boathouse is Ready for Summer and Special Events!
Since the Central Park Boathouse reopened last year, the entire space has been renovated; starting with the more casual offering on the one side of the restaurant, to the main dining room, event space, and dock area. The new upgrades will help usher the space in to welcome in the next generation of diners, thanks to the help of Legends Hospitality.
Since the Central Park Boathouse reopened last year, the entire space has been renovated; starting with the more casual offering on the one side of the restaurant, to the main dining room, event space, and dock area. The new upgrades will help usher the space in to welcome in the next generation of diners, thanks to the help of Legends Hospitality. The changes are current, while still paying homage to the history of the location. The current culinary Team and menu offerings are also reflective of the timelessness of this landmark venue. Over the past month I’ve had the pleasure to enjoy not only a brunch at the Central Park Boathouse, but also experience their revamped event space.
For any meal you have in the main dining room, it always comes with the complimentary relish tray, which is a nice touch and something to snack on while you make the difficult decision of what to order since you can’t possibly eat everything on the menu in one sitting. For starters, we opted for the hidden fjord salmon crudo, which was super bright thanks to the Meyer lemon and the other end of the spectrum, the stuffed mushrooms, which was a hearty combination of Ritz crackers and gruyere cheese.
For mains, on a Sunday brunch following the Kentucky Derby, you can’t go wrong with the house blend burger. Our server asked if I was hungry and he was not kidding. The burger is filling, cooked perfectly with fries and slaw, a perfect pickle spear and all the sauce. Another solid option is the jumbo lump crab cake benedict. Yokes were oozy, hollandaise what what it creamy, no complaints. Well, maybe only complaint was that we were too full to order dessert. You’ll see in the revamped space that the bar has great seating options all with vantage points of a water view and that the way the venue is split makes you feel like you’ve stumbled into someone’s lakehouse, super inviting and approachable while still feeling like an elevated experience. And if it’s too fancy, the cafe is still an option. There is really something for everyone.
For the unveiling of the revamped event space, Executive Chef Adam Fiscus explained that he chose the menu to be classic like the Boathouse and incorporating seasonal ingredients, which is what the restaurant is known for integrating into their dishes. This included freshly made focaccia, a buffalo mozzarella salad with heirloom tomatoes, ricotta ravioli made on site with seasonal asparagus and ended with a trio of popular desserts, a lemon meringue tart, chocolate pot de creme and canele. The experience felt like a greatest hits of what the Central Park Boathouse could do for an event, with custom cocktails, a string duo in the corner for entertainment and of course the lake as the backdrop.
For more information on boat rentals (we’re heading into summer, the perfect time to be on the water!), Cafe (open daily; no reservations), Dockside Dining (open for the season with a separate menu; walk up only; first come first serve), or to make dinner reservations, visit https://centralparkboathouse.com/ or to inquire about hosting an event of your own, visit https://centralparkboathouse.com/event-spaces/.
The Boathouse is Back!
The Central Park Boathouse has been around since 1954 (70 years next year!) and was saved from closure by Legends Hospitality earlier this year. With new ownership has come a breath of reinvigoration into the space.
I dare you to name a more iconic location than the Central Park Boathouse. This landmark destination has been around since 1954 (70 years next year!) and was saved from closure by Legends Hospitality earlier this year. With new ownership has come a breath of reinvigoration into the space. The company has pledged $3.5 million in improvements, which have already begun and the venue will continue to open in phases.
There are also not many places where you can grab a meal alongside an activity. I was fortunate enough to get to experience the quintessentially New York experience of a boat ride in Central Park, and later on sample some items from the cafe menu during a recent trip to the restaurant. The level of service from the staff feels like a hug before you’re transported to what feels like not New York once you’re on the boat and on your way . Hopefully you’re lucky enough to have someone row for you as that was not my strong suits! You’ll see locals and tourists alike taking in the relaxing experience. I suggest rowing then eating to work up an appetite!
The cafe menu runs from morning to afternoon so you have an opportunity to fulfill your breakfast or lunch fixes in the park. We got to sample a lot of dishes, including the filling Farro and Market Vegetable Salad, fresh Hearts of Romaine with Gulf Shrimp dish, and the hearty Roast Beef Sandwich. The star of the show, however, was the Lobster Roll, which was packed to the brim of the roll and at $25, is one of the most affordable and delicious lobster rolls in the city. It’s served with homemade potato chips too.
Other yummy options would be the Fish Sandwich, which was cooked to perfection, crispy outside and delicate inside or the Boathouse Burger, both served on a potato roll, reminiscent of every backyard barbecue you’ve ever been to. You’ll need to end on a sweet note and do not sleep on the daily special pastries or the custard if they have it!
Boat Rental hours for Winter is 9:30am-4pm daily, weather permitting until November 26th, and the Cafe is open 8am-5pm daily. While boat season is winding down, event season is heating up! For more information on the Boathouse or Boat Rental, please visit http://centralparkboathouse.com/. For event inquiries, you can submit a form here.