If you’re going to go see a Broadway show, you shouldn’t settle for making your way into the city and going right to the show and right home. There’s too much to do and too much to see. Broadway is meant to be a full night out and what better way to do it than by choosing the right restaurant to get you psyched for your show. Check out these restaurants, perfect for this season’s musicals.
School of Rock: Ellen’s Stardust Diner
Photo courtesy of vogue.com
School of Rock is based on the movie of the same name from 2003 about a substitute teacher that uses his class for the Battle of the Bands and teaches them to be proud of who they are and what they can do. The stage is filled with adults and kids rocking out, which makes the show fun for the whole family, just like Ellen’s.
The restaurant is a ’50s style diner with some seriously amazing burgers and shakes, but what makes it so fun and special is that every waiter and waitress in the place sings. Throughout the meal, the servers grab mics and sing together to the diners, everything from “Grenade” by Bruno Mars to “One Day More” from Les Miz.
Photo by Jacqueline Gualtieri
Waitress: Times Square Diner
Photo courtesy of playbill.com
Times Square Diner is one of those classic New York restaurants. They’re known for their delicious, all-day breakfast as well as for their friendly and quick service. While you make friends with your waitress, eat up before you meet a different waitress, who’s looking to start a new life, with a little help from her famous pies.
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Cirque du Soleil’s Paramour: St. Cloud
Photo courtesy of theatermania.com
Like all things Cirque du Soleil, Paramour is filled with beauty and elegance, as well as incredible acrobatics and scenery. St. Cloud is filled with the same sort of majesty and wonder. It’s a rooftop bar that overlooks all of Times Square, with indoor and outdoor seating and music that plays up the magic feeling of being high above the city.
Photo courtesy of zagat.com
On Your Feet: Havana Central
Photo courtesy of playbill.com
On Your Feet celebrates the music of Gloria Estefan, the Latin-American pop icon. It’s right to celebrate her work and life with the food from the city she’s from: Havana, Cuba. Havana Central serves traditional Cuban food in a lively and colorful atmosphere and it plays live music.
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Hamilton: The View
Photo courtesy of variety.com
The View is one of those dream-come-true restaurants. It’s a revolving rooftop restaurant and lounge that gives the diner an incredible view of the city below. New York is “the greatest city in the world” after all, so it’s right to watch the dynamic views of the city while you prepare to see this year’s Tony-winning Best Musical. It’s not cheap, but, I mean, if you’re paying $849 for a ticket, you might as well go big with your dinner too.
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The Color Purple: Glass House Tavern
Photo courtesy of cbsnews.com
The Color Purple is a classic story about African American women trying to survive as everything and everyone pushes them down. The Glass House Tavern is an American tavern, that serves up classic meals with a contemporary spin, like how this story was given a more contemporary feel to be put on stage today.
Photo courtesy of tripadvisor.com
Shuffle Along: Birdland
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The entire title of Shuffle Along is Shuffle Along, or The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed, which is pretty much a concise synopsis of the show. It’s the story of a musical being created in 1921, giving the audience a musical in a musical, filled with jazz and incredible tap choreography thanks to the remarkable talent of Savion Glover. Birdland is a jazz club, one of the best in New York, to get you excited for the music you’ll hear for the rest of the night.
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Bright Star: Virgil’s Real BBQ
Photo courtesy of playbill.com
With music written by Steve Martin, “Bright Star” is a bluegrass hit. There’s no flash in this musical. It’s all about the music and the people, just like bluegrass is meant to be. Virgil’s Real BBQ is not flashy either. It’s all about the food and the people. It’s real BBQ and real Southern cooking, not something you often find in the middle of New York.
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She Loves Me: Amelie
Photo courtesy of playbill.com
She Loves Me is based on a French play called Parfumerie about two shop employees who hate each other, completely unaware that they are each other’s secret pen pals, found through a lonely hearts ad. Amelie has traditional French food done right, in a bit more contemporary setting, kind of like how She Loves Me is a bit more contemporary on Broadway today. The restaurant also has a bit of a romantic setting, perfect for a date night before seeing such a romantic musical.
Photo courtesy of yelp.com