Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum’s Frank Lloyd Wright–designed building, the Wright opened to the public on December 11, 2009, in the space formerly occupied by the Guggenheim Cafe adjacent to the rotunda on Fifth Avenue at 88th Street.

Open for lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch, the new restaurant was designed by architect Andre Kikoski. The 1,600-square-foot space features a curvilinear wall of walnut layered with illuminated fiber optics, a bar clad in innovative custom metalwork and topped with white Corian, and a sweeping banquette with blue leather seating. The modern American menu, which emphasizes seasonal, local, and sustainable ingredients, was created by David Bouley protégé Rodolfo Contreras. Signature menu items include seared diver scallops with shrimp, lump crab meat, and sea urchin sauce; the Wright salad with Green Market vegetables and gently cooked egg truffle; and slow-roasted suckling pig with quince, violet mustard, and apple bacon jus. In the center of the room a casual, European-style bar offers small plates, panini sandwiches, espresso, and drinks.

Reflecting the museum's modern and contemporary focus, renowned British artist Liam Gillick was commissioned for a site-specific work, titled The horizon produced by a factory once it had stopped producing views (2009). Conceived as a sculpture that can be expanded or contracted to fit any designated space, Gillick constructed a sequence of horizontal planks of powder-coated aluminum mounted to the walls and ceiling. The resulting room-size installation creates a modular skin on the interior’s surface that is meant to be understood, according to the artist, as “a series of horizons.”

“Inspired by and created within an institution renowned for its art, architecture, and innovation, the Wright will extend that experience to its food and service,” said Aaron Breitman, director of the new restaurant. “The Wright will appeal to neighbors seeking stylish and sophisticated dining as well as visitors who want to experience the thrill of New York in one of the city’s greatest cultural treasures.”

For more information including hours and current menus, visit the Wright Web site.
Make reservations through Open Table or by calling 212 427 5690.

The Wright. Photo: David Heald