Bid on a wonderful lunch for two in a lush setting in Central Park, overlooking magnificent outdoor gardens at Tavern on the Green. 

 

With a half-million patrons each year, Tavern on the Green must be doing something right. Once home to Central Park's flock of sheep and its shepherd (see Sheep Meadow), the building was converted into a restaurant in the 1930s. But it wasn't until 1976, when Warner LeRoy became the proprietor, that the restaurant earned its current popularity.

To a degree unusual for a restaurant, the building itself is part of the dining experience. LeRoy spent over $10 million to refurbish the old Tavern. Crystal and mirrors and stained glass reflect light onto elaborate murals and works of art. There are six dining rooms reached through a twisting hall of mirrors. Three dining rooms — Crystal, Chestnut, and Park — form a horseshoe around a central garden. The largest, the Crystal Room, is filled with chandeliers; the Chestnut Room is cozier, with chestnut paneled walls and live entertainment; and the Park Room is smallest of all, overlooking Tavern's main entrance with a garden and working fountain. Opposite the Chestnut Room is the Rafters Room, with a high beamed ceiling; it too overlooks the garden. A Crystal Gazebo room rounds out the end of the Crystal Room. And the Terrace Room, with its own terrace garden, overlooks Central Park West.

In the garden outside the Crystal Room you can enjoy a drink at the forty-foot bar built from pruned trees recycled from New York City parks. Visitors can see the original Victorian brick structure designed by Jacob Wrey Mould. Minton tiles (see Bethesda Terrace) are used as a decorative element .