Carmellini to Open the Library at the Public Theater (UPDATE)

At the beginning of the year, Eater heard a rumor that Andrew Carmellini of the Dutch and Locanda Verde was involved with the new restaurant at the Public Theater. Now the Times confirms that Carmellini and business partner Luke Ostrom are "collaborating" with the owners of Joe's Pub on a new lounge. And, as rumored, this project will be designed by the Rockwell Group.

The restaurant, dubbed The Library, will be located on the mezzanine level, and it will stay open until 2 a.m. A rep for the theater notes: "The Library is where our audience and artists can meet, talk, eat, drink and extend the conversation past the curtain call." In the past, Carmellini has consulted on concessions at LaGuardia and MSG, but it sounds like this might be something slightly more refined than those projects. No word yet on when the Library at the Public Theater will open.

A rep writes in with some more info on the expanded dining options. Carmellini and Ostrom have actually joined Joe's Pub Partners, the group that runs Joe's Pub at the Public Theater. The other members of the group are Kevin Abbot, Josh Pickard (who also owns the Dutch), Serge Becker (La Esquina and Miss Lily's), and Paul Salmon (Miss Lily's).

The Library will serve, "classic cocktails, wine, and craft beers and an American menu of classic and signature dishes, appetizers, bar snacks, and desserts nightly until 2 a.m." So, Carmellini is not consultant — this is a brand new restaurant project that he's working on with the rest of the crew. The team will also be in charge of the lobby concessions and catering, and Ostrom and Carmellini will work with Joe's Pub too. The new dining options will debut this fall.
· A New Cafe for the Public Theater [Arts Beat]
· Revamped Joe's Pub to Add Lounge and New Kitchen [~ENY~]
· All Coverage of Joe's Pub [~ENY~]
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