Cafés and Restaurants in New York from the Movies

MANHATTAN, N.Y. - April 22, 2013 - PRLog -- Food and dining out are an important part of life in New York. The variety of foodstuffs available in the city reflects the diversity not only of ethnic backgrounds but also amount of disposable income, age and tastes. Having a meal or just a coffee at a neighborhood eatery is a common thread, though, for almost all New York residents. It’s no wonder, then, that many local cafés and restaurants play a starring role in American cinema. Some of these were already famous when the movies they appear in were filmed, while others achieved notoriety on the silver screen. All of these are real life establishments which you can visit for dinner, drinks and a little movie nostalgia.

Romantic Rendezvous

One of the best known movie scenes in recent Hollywood history was Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal’s dramatic date in “When Harry Met Sally,” that took place in Katz’s, a busy New York deli. Katz’s continues to be popular with both couples and families, serving great pastrami sandwiches, and its turn as costar certainly helped to spread its reputations. A lesser known but still charming romantic comedy, also featuring Meg Ryan, is “You’ve Got Mail.” A couple who fall in love via online correspondence finally meet f2f (Internet shorthand for “face to face”) at Café Lalo. The attractive bistro with its interior brick walls and nostalgic posters has served as the background for a number of films and television commercials.

On the Dark Side

A darker view of life has been recorded in the Mulberry Street Bar. This watering hole was founded in Little Italy over a hundred years ago. Its retro look and timeless ambiance make it a favorite for films portraying both recent and historic plot lines. Somehow its fictional patrons tend to be associated with organized crime. While Godfather II and 9 ½ Weeks are the major movies that featured scenes in Mulberry Street, the bar also appears in iconic TV programs such as “The Sopranos” and “Law and Order.”

Old World New York

Luxury and class are words associated with New York’s old money families. They are more likely to be found dining in upscale restaurants or private clubs than local delis or bars. Look for upper crust New Yorkers at ‘21’ Club. Interestingly enough, this stuffy NYC establishment with its strict dress code is a former speakeasy from the Prohibition era, and over the years was a favored haunt of such show business notables as Joan Crawford, Humphrey Bogart and Frank Sinatra. ‘21’ has appeared in many movies including 50s films “All About Eve,” “Written on the Wind” and “Sweet Smell of Success.” A very young Charlie Sheen power lunched here with Michael Douglas in 1987’s “Wall Street.” The menu items lean heavily toward the traditional and are very good.

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