A LEGEND RETURNS

UNION SQUARE CAFE

REOPENS AFTER A REVAMP—AND RELOCATION.

“We as New Yorkers do not celebrate ‘old’—we celebrate what’s new and what’s next,” says Union Square Cafe’s director of operations, Sam Lipp. “Union Square Cafe is the anti-opening in that there is no fussiness: We don’t try, we just do.”

The crown jewel in Danny Meyer’s restaurant kingdom may have moved a few blocks from its original Union Square West location, but it’s picking up where it left off, with a few subtle enhancements. Executive chef Carmen Quagliata’s menu still evokes seasonal dining at its best, but there are new, adventurous pastas, too. The design by the Rockwell Group is somehow grander and airier at the same time, but familiar touches abound. The original bar has been preserved on the second floor (a choice spot for an intimate cocktail or two), and the iconic neon sign is intact above the entrance. 101 E. 19th St., 212243-4020; unionsquarecafe.com