Café Chelsea

On any given evening at Café Chelsea, you might end up sampling a bite of your neighbor’s maitake au poivre, while at the next table over, a pair of And Just Like That... extras work through exactly one Diet Coke, one entire artichoke, and one branzino each. This art deco brasserie is one celebrity sighting short of a certified scene—each time a host ushers someone through the booth-filled bar area into one of two larger dining rooms, people look up expectantly from their shrimp cocktails. Who’s actually here? Teens sharing post-swim burgers with their dad, tourists eating oysters and steak frites, Chelsea locals, and you, along with that one person who shares your secret language for commenting on the prime NYC people-watching.

photo credit: Noah Fecks

photo credit: Noah Fecks

photo credit: Noah Fecks

photo credit: Noah Fecks

photo credit: Noah Fecks