The Shutter: Summer of Death Claims Café des Artistes

Upper West Side: The John Dory wasn't the only restaurant to close over the weekend. Florence Fabricant reports that the 92 year-old Upper West Side icon Café des Artistes will not open after its scheduled summer vacation. Opened originally as a cafe for artists that lived in the building back in 1917—many of whom didn't have kitchens— the restaurant grew into a go-to romantic spot over the last century due to its 1934 murals and upscale old world style. Rumors have swirled over the last couple of years that it might be on its way out, but the current owners, who have had the place for the last 34 years, are taking the down economy this year as an opportunity to retire.
· Café des Artistes Has Closed [Diner's Journal]
· BREAKING: The John Dory Closing Tonight [~E~]
[photo credit]