Replete with swans, duck and gondoliers, The Boathouse probably has more in common with the romantic movie view of the city than anywhere else. It is at the The Boathouse that you’ll find a New York Restaurant worthy of its surrounds. There are more than one option for diners. Season and weather permitting, the outside bar & grill offers up some delectable light meals, the perfect place to sit and take in the summer’s day with a tasty morsel from the grill. The Boathouse also has boasts the Express Café, where you can enjoy a quick bite before continuing through the park. It is the Lakeside eatery which is the culinary guest of honor.

Aside from the beautiful, gentle setting, diners can enjoy food created by master chef Anthony Walton. His talent for realizing contemporary American cuisine has earned him a widespread reputation and numerous accolades, making The Boathouse not only a place of coveted location, but one of the finest New York Restaurants. When it comes to the food, you can expect fresh, seasonal produce, cooked with talent and confidence. There is a definite emphasis on fresh seafood and those who like their fish exciting and beautifully grilled won’t be disappointed. Nor will those who want to sink their teeth into a fine meaty dish. The pan-seared lamb chops will delight and nourish.

During the warmer times of year, you can venture onto the terrace, glass in hand and savor a selection of fine cheeses or simply have a cup of coffee. Winter diners need not fear, the lounge, with its glowing fireplace, offers the ideal place to warm the hands and the spirit as you sip a fine liqueur or cognac. Whether you’re celebrating at the only New York Restaurant to offer lakeside dining and banqueting, or simply having a summer lunch, there is a great selection of French wine and Champagne, as well as a few choice offerings from New World vineyards.

If you’re one of those romantics who is saddened by the end of a great meal, you might want to shed your chagrin and take to the lake in a gondola. They are available for hire and more than an apt way to bring a lovely lunch to a relaxing end. Let your gondolier gently row you back to sobriety. There is even a lovely old bus to shuttle hungry diners to The Boathouse, and sated diner away. The shuttle runs from Fifth Avenue and makes a couple of stops en route. As the only New York Restaurant to offer lakeside dining, it is a popular choice for special occasions. The dedicated banquet room in endowed with all the charm and appeal of the rest of The Boathouse and can easily accommodate functions for business, although it is a wedding which would truly benefit from the picturesque surrounds.

If you’re fortunate enough to be sipping a glass of fine wine on the terrace during July or August, you might just see the beautiful butterflies which come to inspect the wildflowers deliberately grown to attract them. A meal at The Boathouse, day or night, summer or winter, is enough to steal the soul for another month of skyscrapers and concrete.