Over the years that I have been planning weddings in Central Park – since 2012 – I’ve been asked for restaurant recommendations by visiting couples lots of time! It is such a difficult question to answer. New York has literally thousands of places to choose from catering to a vast range of budgets and tastes, with pretty much every cuisine you can think of. My couples are all so different, too – some are happy to travel to another borough, some want to walk from Central Park (or their hotel) to the restaurant. Clients have varying group sizes, too; we have eloping couples to small groups through to quite big groups who want a private room. Check out my FAQs page on my website for answers to some of the other questions that I get asked a lot.
However, I do want to point couples to some advice on this very big question, so I have looked to my previous clients for their suggestions. To avoid writing an extremely long blog post that nobody would want to read, I’ve split this subject up year by year.
I wrote a post summarising where all the couples who featured on the blog in 2022 ate after their wedding, couples from 2021, couples from 2020, couples from 2019, couples from 2018, couples from 2017, couples from 2016, then from 2015, then those from 2014, and also those from 2013. So there are lots of recommendations to look through. Phew! I’ve been doing this for quite a while! Some places keep coming up again and again, some places have closed over the years, and some are more unique suggestions. Below I summarise the couples’ recommendations who featured on my blog in 2023 along with a little information about their wedding and their group.
Brenda and David – Twins Irish Pub
Brenda and David brought over a group of friends and family from their home in Liverpool, England for their wedding in Central Park. The group went on to Twins Irish Pub and their private room for their reception. “The venue was perfect, my dad is from Irish background so he was delighted!” said Brenda. They ordered their party selection, which was food options and open bar for three hours. Brenda said that it was excellent value for money and the atmosphere was brilliant. “The food was amazing and they set the room out perfectly,” she told me. “They don’t do desserts so we bought a small wedding cake from Whole Foods, and ordered donuts from Dunkin’ Donuts,” she said.
Cheryl and Geoff – Hard Rock Café
Cheryl and Geoff eloped from their home in South Shields in England to get married in Central Park in August. They had their ceremony on Belvedere Castle Terrace. After photos in Central Park their photographer took them down to Times Square for some photos there. They had pictures taken outside and just inside the Hard Rock Café. That was where their photographer left them and where they had a few drinks, because it one of Geoff’s favorite places to do wherever they visit. The manager gave them a bottle of champagne and offered them all food and drink free of charge.
Arif and Aaron – the Whitby Hotel and Quality Bistro
Arif and Aaron came over from their home in Belfast, Northern Ireland, to New York on a cruise in November. They got married with no guests in Wagner Cove. Then they had afternoon tea in their hotel, the Whitby Hotel. “It was beautiful and the staff were next to none,” said Arif. On the evening of their wedding day they went to Quality Bistro, steak-centric brasserie in midtown. Arif said the food was out of this world.
Jenny and Billy – Ocean Prime and cake from Juniors
Jenny and Billy came over to New York from their home in Norfolk to get married in the Ladies’ Pavilion in December. They Billy finished off their wedding day with a meal at the Ocean Prime restaurant on 52nd Street. “The staff couldn’t have been more helpful and spoilt us all evening,” said Jenny. They allowed them to take their own cake in, complete with personalised topper and flowers. They got the cake from Juniors on 49th Street, which they highly recommend.
Erica and Steven – Threes Brewery
Erica and Steven brought quite a large group of family and close friends over from their home in Manchester, England for their wedding in Cop Cot in June. After the ceremony and photos in Central Park the bus from NYC trolley company collected the group. They took them via Times Square to the Threes Brewery in Brooklyn, which they had hired for their reception. They brought their own drinks and played their own music on the bus, so they could begin the party early as they drove over to Brooklyn.
John and Joanne – Carragher’s bar and Spyglass rooftop bar
John and Joanne got married in the Ladies’ Pavilion. They eloped from their home in England for their wedding in June. After the photos, they called loved ones back home, and then went downtown to Carragher’s bar for a meal and a few drinks. This bar is an upscale sports bar dedicated to the city of Liverpool, and most importantly; Liverpool Football Club. Both John and Joanne support Liverpool FC so this was a home from home for them. After Carragher’s bar, they returned to the hotel, and had a few drinks at the Spyglass rooftop bar which has a great view the Empire State Building.
Savannah and Patrick – the Algonquin Hotel, catering by Yiah Yiah’s, and cake from Ovenly
Savannah and Patrick got married in Cop Cot in December. Savannah is from Johannesburg in South Africa and Patrick is from Charlottesville, Virginia. Savannah and Patrick took photos around Central Park then finished up their photo session at the Algonquin Hotel. Then they met for a champagne toast and a quiet moment to acknowledge the ceremony and debrief on the morning with close family. “I highly recommend doing this or something that allows you a quiet moment to sit and chat with the people very close to you,” said Savannah. “I think it was one of my favorite moments of the day.” The evening of their wedding, Savannah and Patrick had everyone from the ceremony over to their apartment in Bushwick for a low-key reception. They got Yiah Yiah’s to cater for them, and a cake made by Ovenly.
Jenna and Grant – the Boathouse and the Tavern on the Green
Jenna and Grant eloped from their home in Cornwall, England to New York to get married last August. They got married with us in Wagner Cove in the mid-afternoon. They took a horse and carriage ride after their photo session, then went to the Boathouse for a few drinks. “It was lovely, they have stunning views across the lake,” Jenna said. Then they walked through Central Park over to the Tavern on the Green. “We had the best meal we had whilst in New York,” said Jenna. She said that it was really nice and relaxing to spend the whole day in Central Park.
Avril and John – Gallaghers Steakhouse
Avril and John got married in the Ladies’ Pavilion in March. They brought along four guests with them to New York from their home in Scotland. After the ceremony, they took some photos around Central Park, and then went on to Gallaghers Steakhouse for a meal. After that, they went to Grand Central terminal and took some of their own photos and then went to a little pub about a block away from their hotel and continued to celebrate.
Laura and Ryan – the River Café
Laura and Ryan came over to New York from their home in County Laois, Ireland back in January. They got married in Wagner Cove, just the two of them. That evening they went over to DUMBO in Brooklyn to eat at the River Café. “It was absolutely spectacular and even the heavy rain could not take from our view of the stunning Manhattan skyline,” said Laura. “It was a fantastic meal in a beautiful setting with excellent service and we will never forget our wedding meal!” she added.
Esther and Aaron – the Modern
Esther and Aaron got married underneath Bethesda Terrace in April. They are both from the Midlands in England. After their time in Central Park, they went to eat at the Modern which is a Michelin-starred restaurant attached to the MoMA. “We had told them in the booking request that it was our wedding day, all I can say it JUST WOW, it was an amazing experience,” said Esther. “The food and service was on another level.”
LaShana and Mark – Sarabeth’s on Central Park South and the 40/40 Club
New Yorkers LaShana and Mark renewed their marriage vows with us in the Ladies’ Pavilion in April. Though they are originally from New York, they now live in Texas, so they and their daughters traveled to NYC for their vow renewal. After the ceremony in Central Park they and their guests went on to their reception at Sarabeth’s on Central Park South. That evening they all went on to the 40/40 Club, a sports bar in Manhattan, to finish the night with drinks and dancing.
Katie and Nick – Cibo e Vino
Katie and Nick eloped for their wedding, albeit not very far from their home in Syracuse, New York. They got married on Belvedere Castle Terrace in May, just the two of them. After their time in the park, they went on to a nice Italian restaurant called Cibo e Vino for dinner, which had been recommended by a friend, and then found a place to get gelato.
Kelly and Claire – Club A Steakhouse
Kelly and Claire visited New York with Kelly’s daughter, Keira from their home in Hampshire, England. The intimate wedding took place in the Ladies’ Pavilion on a Sunday in May. After the ceremony and photos in Central Park, they popped back to the hotel to change their footwear to something more comfortable. They kept their wedding gowns on and visited some of the sights of New York in their wedding attire. They went to Grand Central to take some pictures and from there on to The Summit, which is nearby. That evening they ate at Club A Steakhouse. They would highly recommend all of these places.
Laura and Jordan – Keens Steakhouse
Laura and Jordan brought over a small group of close family members from their home in England this May to get married in Central Park. They held the ceremony in the Ladies’ Pavilion. After taking some photos around Central Park, they all went back to the hotel to enjoy a drink in the bar together, and then they all went out to eat. Their wedding meal was at Keens Steakhouse, which they highly recommend!
Helen and Steve – Tavern on the Green
Helen and Steve got married in early November in the Ladies’ Pavilion. Helen’s daughter and the couple’s two friends were their guests. After that, he took them down to the Tavern on the Green, he took a few photos of them there and then left them to eat and celebrate with their party.
Perline and Kwame – Victor’s Café
Perline and Kwame got married in Cop Cot in July. Technically, they are New Yorkers, they live in New Jersey now, but they are from Queens in New York City originally, and many of their family and friends still live there. After their time in the park, they went to dinner at Victor’s Café, a Cuban restaurant in midtown, they said it was fantastic.
Allison and Sean – The Meatball Shop
Allison and Sean got married at Wagner Cove in April. Allison is from Louisiana originally and Sean is from Ireland. They both live together in Manhattan now. After the ceremony they took some portrait photos around Central Park. Then they took their guests to a dinner reception at The Meatball Shop, nearby on the Upper East Side. They said that they had a great time. It does look like that location may have since closed.
Tayla and Hayden – Broadway Lounge
Tayla and Hayden eloped from their home in the Midlands of England in early September. They got married underneath Bethesda Terrace because it was an unseasonably hot day. They got married in the morning so they had the whole afternoon to continue their sight-seeing. That evening they had a celebratory dinner at Broadway Lounge in Times Square, which Tayla said they would highly recommend, “the service and food were amazing!” she said.
Anna and Peter – Park Avenue Tavern
Anna and Peter eloped to New York, just the two of them, from their home in Manchester in England in September. They got married at Wagner Cove. They told me that someone in the park gave them a Krispy Kreme doughnut! After the wedding ceremony and then photos in Central Park, Anna and Peter went for dinner at the Park Avenue Tavern which Anna said she would highly recommend. “The food was delicious and the service was exceptional. The atmosphere was really good and the music was great,” she said. After dinner they went to the Summit at One Vanderbilt which they said was fun. “Cocktails and views after a good meal was a perfect way to end the day.”
Samantha and Kevin – Five Acres in the Rockefeller Center
Samantha and Kevin eloped to New York from their home in the North West of England in September. They got married at Wagner Cove, just the two of them. I always ask for any restaurant recommendations and Samantha and Kevin recommend Electric Lemon at Hudson Yards, the Hard Rock Café at Times Square, and Maison Pickle on Broadway. The ceremony took place at 10:30 in the morning, and they finished up with their photographer at the Rockefeller Center at 1:30. “Immediately after the photographer left we ate at the first place we saw – which was Five Acres,” which is at ground level in the Rockefeller Center. Samanatha tells me that she wore a napkin bib to protect the dress – very wise! Then they had more of a walk around Rockefeller Plaza, took some photos by the LOVE sculpture which had just returned a few days before they got there. Then they popped back to their hotel, video called their parents and then had a nap since they had been up since 5am. That evening they ordered a takeout and chilled out and relaxed in their suite.
Grace and Paul – La Grande Boucherie and Sean’s Irish bar
Grace and Paul brought a small group of close family over with them from their home in Ireland in October to get married in Central Park. After their photo session, they met back up with their guests in a beautiful French restaurant called La Grande Boucherie in Midtown for a three-course meal. After that, they went to an Irish bar, Sean’s for some celebratory drinks. Since they stayed for a few days in Williamsburg before their wedding day, they have a few restaurants in that part of the city to recommend. They stayed there on their last visit and found a great brunch spot called Rabbithole which is now closed but the owners have since opened a new restaurant called Monarch, “we had dinner here one evening and it was delicious,” Grace told me. They also went to Best Pizza in Williamsburg which they also recommend. The day before the wedding, Grace and her mom and sister and had afternoon tea in Bergdorf Goodman and cocktails in The Plaza hotel, “both places had wonderful atmospheres and lovely food and drinks,” she said.
Emma and Paul – The Plaza
Emma and Paul eloped from their home in Northern Ireland to get married in Central Park in October. They went over to Brooklyn in a vintage cab, they traveled back to The Plaza, there they were staying, and had dinner there. If you’re staying in The Plaza it seems a shame not to eat there! I always ask couples if they have restaurants to recommend. “We tried lots of little places to eat. One of our favorite places is Juniors in Times Square. The food is always great, at any time of the day!!” said Emma. “The Plaza food was absolutely beautiful. It’s definitely worth trying, even for a light snack at some stage when in New York,” she said. I would agree that it’s worth popping in even if it’s just for a cocktail, to sit in their beautiful lobby. “They made us a little dessert for two to celebrate on the wedding night!!” she told me, “everything in The Plaza feels like an absolute dream!!”
As always with these blog post collections of restaurant recommendations, I would love for anyone to comment on the post with their own suggestions of great New York City restaurants. There are so many to choose from, and although there are some firm favorites that last over time, we’re always seeing new ones come up on these lists! I enjoy collating the lists of each year because it really highlights how some tastes change, but some just stay the same and stand the test of time! For more information to help you with planning your own Central Park wedding, visit our website, or follow us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram and follow us on Pinterest where you will find lots of beautiful photos and many more inspiring stories of real weddings.
