Sometime at the turn of the last century, Georges Vuitton, son of the legendary Louis, developed a lock system so impenetrable that even famed escape artist, Harry Houdini, rebuffed a chance to crack it.
More than a century later, it might be wise for Houdini to steer clear of another challenge: getting a reservation at Le Café Louis Vuitton in New York. On any given day, the waitlist to the luxury brand’s in-store restaurant can balloon to 1,000 people or more. But for lucky diners who get the opportunity to drift up to the fourth floor of Louis Vuitton’s temporary flagship at 6 East 57th Street, they’ll find that their patience is rewarded.
Inside Le Café Louis Vuitton, New York
Le Café Louis Vuitton, which opened last fall, marks the label’s first culinary venture in the US, joining concepts in Paris, China, Japan and Saint-Tropez. It’s the project of Philadelphia-based hospitality group STARR Restaurants (behind Pastis, Le Coucou and many local favourites), led by executive chef Christophe Bellanca and executive pastry chef Mary George. The pair worked alongside Arnaud Donckele and Maxime Frédéric, who’ve crafted culinary experiences at Louis Vuitton’s other locations.
The restaurant specialises in what it terms ‘luxury snacking’ via a menu that focusses on tempting smaller plates. In a district where in-store restaurants are de rigueur (see The Polo Bar; Tiffany’s Blue Box Café and the Armani Ristorante), Le Café Louis Vuitton stands out by delivering haute cuisine without taking itself too seriously. Indeed, Belanca describes dining here as ‘an approachable yet luxurious experience’ – and it certainly delivers.
That starts with the space itself, which was designed to feel like a home library. The dining room, which has room for 70 diners, features a welcoming palette of timber, exposed brick and fabrics in hues like persimmon and gold. Look up and you’ll notice that the ceiling lighting is not diffused by louvers, but by hundreds of Louis Vuitton leather luggage tags; Look right and you’ll discover hundreds of volumes on art, fashion, architecture and – of course – LV history arranged on softly illuminated shelves.
Once tucked into a cosy banquette, the sumptuous snacking begins in earnest. The café offers an all-day dining experience, so early-bird shoppers would be wise to take in some sustenance via truffle eggs ‘à la coque,’ a dainty take on egg and soldiers that comes complete with a monogrammed ‘soldier’; pain au chocolat; or – because this is Le Café Louis Vuitton – Golden Ossetra caviar.
For lunch, the Louis Vuitton Culinary Journey offers a prix-fixe menu of opulent signatures, starting with a choice of appetizer. Go for the crab ‘Louis’ which comes piled high atop an avocado and is studded with diminutive radishes, stamped into LV’s signature quatrefoils Follow-up with braised black bass with bouillon ‘al verde’ or the ultra-tender filet mignon. If you still have room for dessert, the entremets – available in vanilla, chocolate, pistachio and hazelnut – are as rich and indulgent as a Capucines handbag and come with monogram ganache, of course.
The logo-mania doesn’t stop with the food. You can find the monogram surrounding your place in a cafe-au-lait circlet; on the stacked trompe l'oeil trunks where wait staff deftly fetch serveware; your sugar cube with post-dessert espresso; even the butter pat at bread service was stamped in the form of a creamy yellow monogram.
It’s all part of the fun– and the fantasy – of a languid afternoon meal (with a glass of Champagne, of course) at Le Café Louis Vuitton. And fortunately, on a recent afternoon, the waitlist was a mere 800 guests long.
Le Café Louis Vuitton is on the fourth floor of Louis Vuitton 57th Street, New York.
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