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Luxury fashion brand Louis Vuitton will launch its first-ever culinary experience in the United States tomorrow, when Le Café Louis Vuitton is scheduled to debut on the fourth floor of the company's newest Manhattan location at 6 East 57th Street by Fifth Avenue, also opening on Friday.
The library-themed restaurant (there are nearly 650 books on premise!) is a partnership with STARR Restaurants, led by restaurateur Stephen Starr, the mind behind luxury culinary destinations Pastis and Le Coucou, among others.
Food-wise, expect a very on-brand menu by chef Christophe Bellanca and pastry guru Mary George, the former head of pastry at Daniel, focusing on "luxury snacking" options that sound very... French?
Take the truffle eggs 'á la coque,' for example. Made French-style and offered on the shell, they are served with brioche soldiers.
The Caesar salad, on the other hand, can be ordered with sasso chicken or shrimp, perhaps a great precursor to one of the many mains on offer: from a black bass to a scallop soufflé and a filet mignon de boeuf.
The dessert menu feels very on-brand as well, boasting three types of entremets, the multi-layered dessert usually served after the cheese course in France. Each one of the featured flavors—vanilla, hazelnut and chocolate—is, apparently, a Louis Vuitton signature.
Price-wise, each dish is on the higher end, but that’s not surprising given the brand’s reputation, the restaurant’s luxurious setting and the top-notch presentation of the food. After all, you’re dining inside a Louis Vuitton store.
Although Le Café is the first of its kind to debut in the U.S., Louis Vuitton has already established similar high-end dining experiences globally, such as Le Café in Bangkok and Le Hall in China. The brand is pushing the boundaries of culinary luxury, elevating the concept of department store restaurants—a trend that, while not new to New York, is being reimagined with Vuitton’s signature flair.
According to the New York Times, though, the dining destination might be a temporary one: Louis Vuitton has built the store that the cafe calls home while it renovates its flagship across the street. It is still not clear whether the restaurant will move to the revamped flagship when ready in a couple of years.
Officially opening tomorrow, Le Café Louis Vuitton will operate from 10am to 8pm on Mondays through Saturdays and from 11am to 7pm on Sundays, offering breakfast, lunch and tea service all week long. Reservations will be available via Resy starting November 16.