The Central Park Boathouse will reopen with boat rentals and snacks later this month!

One of Manhattan’s most famed institutions is coming back this month. 

Central Park's Loeb Boathouse, which shuttered in 2022, is reopening by the end of this month for boating, snacking and classic New York vibes in Central Park near West 74th Street.

Legends Hospitality, which manages food at major events and tourism spaces including Yankee Stadium, Circle Line Cruises, and One World Observatory, took over the lease, promising $3.5 million in improvements to the historic property.

The company will reopen the boathouse with a phased approach, The New York Post first reported.

Stage one of the boathouse includes opening a casual snack bar and bringing back the famous row boat rentals, which will allow boats to be pre-booked online (and you can use credit cards, so no more cash-only boat rides). Later this summer into fall, the dining room and patio overlooking the lake will open with a brand new menu. 

Legends will pay the city $750,000 annually for the 10-year lease, plus a percentage of sales. 

Official opening dates and menus have yet to be announced.  

 

Loeb Boathouse first opened its restaurant in 1983 and set the stage for many celebrations, weddings and classic rom-com moments, including iconic scenes in Sex and the City and When Harry Met Sally. Prior to its role in the cultural canon, the boathouse was a popular spot for birders, boaters and parkgoers in need of a public restroom, dating back to the original boathouse in the 1870s. The current structure dates back to the 1950s, but has undergone several improvements since. The newest opening promises renovated bathrooms, plus outdoor improvements and more to-be-seen changes.