Café des Artistes was part of Hotel des Artistes’ ground-floor life for decades, serving residents and later drawing diners from beyond the building. Shuttered in 2009, the restaurant is set to reopen in early 2027 in the same space at 1 West 67th Street.
The reopening plans, first reported by Eater New York, follow a search by the Hotel des Artistes board for a new operator. The board selected Airmax Hospitality, whose portfolio includes Tokyo Record Bar, Roscioli NYC, Pearl Box, Leonessa and Big Pearl Caviar, to run the restaurant, according to Eater. The company has not announced a chef for the revival, the outlet reported.
Airmax’s partners in the relaunch are Ariel Arce and Max Katzenberg, who became business partners in 2023. They have also taken over the former Leopard at des Artistes space at the address this year, Eater reports. The outlet noted that Arce, who grew up in Hell’s Kitchen, celebrated her LaGuardia High School graduation at Café des Artistes, and that Katzenberg was born near the restaurant.
A Building Designed for Artists Without Kitchens
The Hotel des Artistes was built in 1917 and designed by architect George Mort Pollard. The 18-story building is described as majestic by streeteasy.com. Eater reports that the building was originally intended for artists, many of whom had no kitchens of their own. Its communal amenities included a restaurant, theater and ballroom, according to cityrealty.com.
Café des Artistes opened in the building in 1917 and served residents before becoming a gathering place for performers, musicians, writers and artists, according to Eater. The dining room’s wood nymph murals, begun by artist Howard Chandler Christy in 1934, remain in place. Cityrealty also notes that Christy painted murals for the building’s original restaurant.
What the Landmark Records Establish
New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission hearing materials identify 1 West 67th Street as part of the Upper West Side/Central Park West Historic District. That designation alone does not establish that Café des Artistes’ interior murals have separate landmark protection, according to the Landmarks Preservation Commission materials.
From George Lang's Revival to a 17-Year Closure
Restaurateur George Lang and his wife, Jenifer Lang, took over Café des Artistes in 1975, beginning a prominent chapter in the restaurant’s history, according to Eater. The restaurant became known for dishes including salmon four ways, pot-au-feu and tarte à l’oignon. It closed in 2009; the Leopard at des Artistes later operated in the space for 15 years before closing this past February, Eater reports.
Soliciting Memories Ahead of the Reopening
Ahead of the 2027 reopening, Arce and Katzenberg are asking New Yorkers to submit memories, stories, photos and mementos connected to Café des Artistes, Eater reports, with Airmax Hospitality planning to use those submissions to help shape the restaurant's new era. The call for memories will get a wider push on Sunday, when the New York Times is set to publish an advertisement inviting readers to share their Café des Artistes recollections, according to the same report.
No details on pricing, hours or a specific opening date beyond early 2027 have been disclosed. For now, the wood nymphs watch over an empty dining room on West 67th Street, waiting for the next chapter of a restaurant that has already outlived one closure.
