When Essex House opened on Central Park South in 1931, it was an instant hit with well-to-do, fashionable New Yorkers who didn’t let things like the Great Depression or Prohibition stop their partying.
This menu card, from the Museum of the City of New York, is dated 1935; it shows New Year’s Eve revelers in the hotel’s Colonnades ballroom.
On the back of the card are some of the food offerings for the night: Swedish relish, olives, and salted nuts as appetizers; mignon beef Bearnaise, braised celery au jus, and potatoes royale for the main course. Dessert: petits fours and glace vanilla nesselrode.
[MCNY: 2003.50.2]
Tags: 1935 New Year's Eve, Essex House New York City, Menu 1930s NYC, New Years Eve New York City, Old Menus New Year's Eve
Ephemeral New York 
December 31, 2018 at 10:10 am |
[…] Source: FS – NYC Real Estate A swanky New Year’s menu from 1935 New York […]
December 31, 2018 at 10:37 am |
[…] Source: FS – NYC Real Estate A swanky New Year’s menu from 1935 New York […]
December 31, 2018 at 11:02 am |
Reblogged this on Intellicooking.
December 31, 2018 at 1:03 pm |
[…] This menu card, from the Museum of the City of New Menu card for New Year’s Eve in the Colonnades Ballroom, Essex House Hotel, New York City. 1935. collection of the museum of the City of New York. via https://ephemeralnewyork.wordpress.com/2018/12/31/a-swanky-new-years-menu-from-1935-new-york/ […]
December 31, 2018 at 2:09 pm |
I appreciate the history of food and dining in NY – please keep up these types of posts!
December 31, 2018 at 6:04 pm |
Definitely! See the menu links from Bob below for more.
December 31, 2018 at 2:28 pm |
Mmmmm mmmm
‘Do love me some braised celery !
December 31, 2018 at 6:04 pm |
Yeah, that didn’t sound so appealing. But I guess that’s how they stayed so thin!
December 31, 2018 at 3:03 pm |
Other historical New Year’s Menus online:
http://menus.nypl.org/menus/21628
Fifth Avenue Hotel
January 1, 1897
http://menus.nypl.org/menus/21013
Waldorf Astoria
January 1, 1906
http://menus.nypl.org/menus/23349
Hotel Netherland
January 2, 1900
http://menus.nypl.org/menus/15495
Colonnade Restaurant
December 31, 1900
http://hrvh.org/cdm/ref/collection/cia/id/4248
Hotel Governor Clinton
December 31, 1932
http://www.hrvh.org/cdm/ref/collection/cia/id/2304
Waldorf-Astoria
December 31, 1942
December 31, 2018 at 3:08 pm |
1906:
NEW YEAR’S DAY DINNER [held by] M.F.LYONS DINING ROOM [at] “259 BOWERY, NEW YORK” (REST;) – NYPL Digital Collections
https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-77e6-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99#/?uuid=510d47db-77e6-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
NEW YEAR’S DINNER [held by] HOTEL BELLECLAIR [at] “BROADWAY AND 77TH STREET, NEW YORK” (HOTEL;) – NYPL Digital Collections
https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-77e8-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
NEW YEAR’S DINNER [held by] PARK AVENUE HOTEL [at] “NEW YORK, NY” (HOTEL;) – NYPL Digital Collections
https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-77ea-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
December 31, 2018 at 6:18 pm |
Old New York story is that the ESSEX HOUSE had its name emblazoned in lights on the rooftop so that it could be seen from great distances around Manhattan. Only problem was that the “E” and first “S” darkened so that SEX HOUSE ignited the NYC skyline until repairs arrived.
December 31, 2018 at 10:41 pm |
I love this artwork! And thank you, Bob Says, for sharing the links to the other amazing menus. The Waldorf New Year’s Eve 1942 menu is heartbreakingly lovely.
December 31, 2018 at 11:00 pm |
Great menu!