The River Café
9 Water Street | DUMBO | built 1900
Open on the map5 entries
The city photographed every building for its tax records around 1940 and again in the 1980s. NYC Municipal Archives.
Written with AI from the source each entry cites, then fact-checked.
- 1977
Buzzy O'Keeffe opens The River Café on a former coffee barge
Michael "Buzzy" O'Keeffe opened The River Café in summer 1977 on city-leased Brooklyn waterfront land, after twelve years of permits and preparation. The restaurant sits on a former coffee barge under the Brooklyn Bridge. It was among the first fine-dining places in the city to promote local sourcing, American cuisine and high-end California wines.
Source: Wikipedia
- 1981
The River Café starts its own ferry from Wall Street
In 1981 the restaurant began running a house ferry from Wall Street, long before the neighborhood now called Dumbo could be reached by NYC Ferry. Wikipedia says the restaurant's success on a derelict stretch of waterfront influenced the area's later development.
“In 1981, long before the neighborhood, now known as Dumbo, was accessible via NYC Ferry, the restaurant instituted a house ferry from Wall Street.”
Source: Wikipedia
- 2000
Brad Steelman becomes head chef at a kitchen that incubated American chefs
Brad Steelman has been head chef at The River Café since 2000. The kitchen is known for incubating American chefs, among them Larry Forgione, Charlie Palmer, David Burke and Rick Laakkonen. Some staff, including the wine director, stayed for over forty years.
Source: Wikipedia
- 2012
Hurricane Sandy floods The River Café and closes it for over a year
Flooding from Hurricane Sandy in October 2012 corroded the electrical wiring, ruined food and wine, and destroyed antiques and a piano, and mold forced walls to be replaced. The restaurant closed for more than a year, reopened in February 2014 with a changed wine focus, and regained its Michelin star that year.
Source: Wikipedia
- 2019
Jennifer Lawrence holds her engagement party at The River Café
In May 2019 the actress Jennifer Lawrence and her then-fiancé, Cooke Maroney, celebrated their engagement with a party at The River Café. Emma Stone was among the notable guests.
Source: Wikipedia
Further reading
- River Café (Brooklyn)Wikipedia
Nearby
- Brooklyn City Railroad Company Building8 Old Fulton Street | 5 entries
- St. Ann's Warehouse (Tobacco Warehouse)45 Water Street | 4 entries
- Juliana's Pizza19 Old Fulton Street | 2 entries
- Eagle Warehouse28 Old Fulton Street | 5 entries
- Jane's Carousel47 Water Street | 3 entries
- Empire Stores55 Water Street | 7 entries