Waiting on Warhol

Florent may be kaput, but these equally storied spots keep the A list well-fed

These days, Manhattan hot spots are old news before they even open. In an age of months-long soft openings, secret reservation lines and clandestine private dining rooms, it’s a miracle for most restaurants to stay open long enough to serve meals, let alone become legends.

Even when an eatery does gain a following, there’s no guarantee that gentrification and rent hikes won’t be lurking around the corner. Exhibit A: Meatpacking District pioneer Florent, which was open for 23 years before being forced out its Gansevoort Street digs last month by a $29,000-per-month rent hike.

It’s a wonder, then, that the following five restaurants—all of which began as humble neighborhood hangouts—have withstood the test of time, and thrived. —Adam Rathe

Pictured: Andy Warhol at Indochine's opening, 1984