Our Story

Cafeteria, A New York Institution For Twenty-Five Years.

“Contrary to some people’s opinions, fashion people love to eat, especially at…Cafeteria.”
Harpers Bazaar – on the opening week of Cafeteria, June 1998

Since we opened our doors in the summer of 1998, dining at Cafeteria  has become a rite of passage for New York’s movers-and-shakers and visitors alike for twenty-five years.

Located in the heart of Chelsea Cafeteria reimagines American comfort food with a decidedly modern flair and offers seasonal classic cocktails with a modern kick.

Open every day for breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, come for the iconic dishes but stay for the best people watching in the neighborhood. The people who come through our doors are just as important as the food and drink they come to enjoy and imbibe.

Since day one, Cafeteria has featured iconic portraits of notable New Yorkers on our menu covers and image campaigns. These captivating, often stolen, images have become part of the fabric and culture of Cafeteria.

To celebrate twenty-five years in business, we worked with creative director Mark Andrew Kalfa to shoot 25 new menu portraits. The talent roster includes Carson Kressley, Michael Musto, Joey Arias, Dianne Brill, Thom Filicia, Lina Bradford, Eric Rutherford, Jose Xtravaganza, golf-pro Paris Hilinski, model Victoria Britto, Kelly Bensimon, Amanda LePore, and more.

Cafeteria has been a trailblazer in the community and always kept one foot firmly planted in the fashion and culture of NYC. It is  important to the restaurant partners that they represent and capture the diversity, beauty and authenticity of the incredibly special people who have come through our doors over the years. Cafeteria is LGBTQ+ owned and operated so it’s also equally exciting that we launch this project along with an epic celebration during Pride Month.

There’s no other restaurant quite like ours.