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After a successful eight years, Island Oyster, the first restaurant to ever open on Governors Island, will officially shut down this year, following a final season set to wrap up on October 31, 2025.
Earlier this week, the Trust for Governors Island sent out a request for proposals (RFP), looking for a new seasonal food and beverage operator to take over the 32,000 square feet of waterfront space beginning 2026.
Island Oyster has not made an official statement about the upcoming development.
"Just steps from Governors Island’s primary ferry terminal, the site offers spectacular unobstructed views of the Lower Manhattan skyline, the Brooklyn Bridge and New York Harbor," reads an official press release about the proposal request. "The adjacent ferry carries passengers to and from the Financial District every half hour, with nearly one million individuals visiting the Island each year."
In terms of specific culinary requests, applicants are to offer substantial dine-in and take-away options "with an approachable concept that is appealing to a broad audience and reflective of the Island’s diverse visitors who may frequent the site for family friendly gatherings, group outings and personal celebrations or corporate events and happy hours."
Also of note: the restaurant, which will be delivered vacant with the option to purchase the existing furniture and equipment used by Island Oyster since 2017, will be fully electric and will focus on a sustainable food menu, served in an eco-friendly built space.
Although obviously saddened by the imminent closure of such an iconic restaurant, the possibilities seem endless when thinking of potential new operators of the site. Here's an out-there proposal: perhaps, the iconic Bryant Park Grill, set to be replaced by a Jean-Georges restaurant this spring, should consider taking over the space?