New Leaf Cafe
(212) 568-5323
1 Margaret Corbin Dr
New York,
NY
10040
40.8637
-73.9324
Neighborhoods: Uptown, Fort George
What People Are Saying About New Leaf Cafe
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
The Scene
Bette Midler is the big name behind this novel venture: a chi-chi yet rustic restaurant housed in a renovated 1933 Fort Tryon Park facility. The clientele is an attractive mix of locals, curious downtowners and tourists visiting the nearby Cloisters, but the main attraction is the spectacular view: the park on one side, the Bronx on the other--the latter best experienced from the outdoor patio.
The Food
Considering that the money goes to a good cause--the upkeep of the park--it would be nice if the food were more adventurous, or, at the very least, better. Although the menu constantly changes, staple dishes include mundane grilled filet of salmon, roasted chicken, filet mignon and burgers, decently delivered at midtown prices. If you pop by for brunch, order the mixed basket of fresh muffins, easily the most impressive part of the meal.
User Reviews
Melved
January 01, 2009
My wife friend and I were just looking for a warm drink after visiting the Cloisters, when we stumbled upon this beautiful cottage in the woods restaurant. It was snowing outside and we had hot chocolate on the mind. Boy did we stumble into the right place. Best hot chocolate I have ever had-with a wee bit of peppermint liquor in mine. They actually have a hot chocolate menu with a variety of flavors. Then the fun started. We each had a different specialty drink from the cocktail menu and every one was a winner. The pomegranate martini was my favorite. A jazz pianist started playing in the bar room and we ordered a bite to eat. Had no idea the food was going to be as great as it was plus really good fine dining at the bar. Grilled Duck, fried oysters, scallops in lobster bisque oh and the best venison steak. The food was divine. And then we looked around and realized the entire restaurant was packed with people who had found this place before us. We hadn?t planned on having a New Years Eve night, but we nestled right in and stayed till the ball dropped. And they did it right, with a raucous champagne toast and perfect music. The service was wonderful, obviously a bunch of happy people working in a gorgeous place. A truly memorable experience.
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mizzy425
September 27, 2008
Beautiful setting, great food, and attentive service. I was pleasantly surprised to find this gem in Upper Manhattan. My boyfriend and I arrived 30 minutes early for our dinner reservation and had a drink at the restaurant bar. New Leaf has a great selection of wine. I had the duck and it was cooked perfectly. The food was great but I fell in love with New Leaf for the ambience. It is a romantic cozy restaurant in the middle of the park.
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lcartage
December 27, 2007
Yeah, the location is nice and the ambience (if you can get a seat inside of the restaurant) is rustic/charming. But the majority of people, including our group, get seated outside in a big white plastic tent, which is such a drag. Expectations were high as our group loves fine dining. Unfortunately this restaurant has so many bad things going for it. The menu is limited, boring. Our waitress/model took forever to serve us, literally 15 min? in the tent? waiting for a menu. I did not like the side dish my entree so I asked for something else and was told flatly that substitutions are not allowed. If I wanted a different side I would have to pay an extra $8 bucks! Why? I have no idea because when the food arrived my side dish (a plop of cold mashed potatoes) came on a separate plate anyway. My meal looked like a upscale TV dinner. We paid through the nose for a mediocre meal and horrible service. You live, you learn.
read full reviewThe Details on New Leaf Cafe
Plan Ahead:
If you go on a weekend make a reservation: the 200-seat restaurant quickly fills up.
