Anna Wintour’s Midtown Luncheonette to Close Amid Shifting Midtown Scene

A well-known Midtown lunch destination, frequented by Anna Wintour and other media figures, is set to close its doors this month. The restaurant, which for years has been a fixture for power lunches just east of Bryant Park, served its last midday crowd on Thursday. Staff began informing regulars earlier this week.

The closure comes as Midtown experiences a quieter summer, with office attendance down and many workers shifting their schedules. By lunchtime on Wednesday, the usual bustle at the restaurant had thinned, replaced by a handful of tourists and a few suited regulars. One server described the mood as ‘bittersweet.’

Several nearby restaurants have also shuttered since June, according to city permitting records and landlord notices posted along Fifth Avenue. Many cite rising rents and unpredictable weekday foot traffic as factors. The departing lunch spot is the latest in a series of high-profile closures clustered around Grand Central and Rockefeller Center.

For longtime patrons, the loss marks the end of an era. Wintour was often seen in a window booth, holding meetings over salads and iced tea. Her presence became a quiet marker of the restaurant’s place in the city’s dining hierarchy. On Thursday, a small group of regulars lingered past one o’clock, taking photos and exchanging memories with staff.

The restaurant’s management has not announced plans for a new location. The building’s landlord declined to comment on the future tenant. For now, Midtown’s lunch crowd will have one less gathering place as summer rolls on.