Boat Basin Café Closes For Good

Hold on to your good memories from the Boat Basin Café, because sadly, it has closed. For good.

Since the opening of the café in 1997, this seasonal spot has been a beloved destination for dining outside while enjoying the views of the river. We have featured the Boat Basin as one of our favorite venues for outdoor drinking and dog friendly spots.

More: Another Chapter in the History of the Boat Basin

Over the years, the Boat Basin has also been the filming destination for popular movies such as You’ve Got Mail.  Unfortunately, they are shutting down because the city is set to begin a construction project.

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The 79th Street rotunda is operated by the New York City Parks Department. This rotunda was built so that there would be easy access to and from the highway. The inside of the rotunda is a courtyard and the perimeter has great views of the Hudson River. This space was leased by the city to the Boat Basin Café. The Boat Basin is mostly made of concrete that has worn down over time. While it is intact, it has not been renovated, and is in need of repairs.

This construction project will include the reconstruction of the courtyard area and the rotunda in order to provide access to the Hudson River Greenway. This is estimated to take around four years, and is part of a comprehensive Riverside Park construction project.

Long time employee John Szydlik told Gothamist, “They closed it for good,” and agreed with the city that the space is due for a major renovation. He also said that once the renovations are completed, The Boat Basin has no intention of reopening as their contract was due to expire in April 2020. Construction is slated for mid-2020. Once complete, there will be a bidding process in place for leasing of the space.

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