Because the management knows how to make them happy. Here’s how a handful of New York dining rooms do it.
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It sometimes seems there are just two types of restaurants in New York City: the ones where celebrities eat, and everywhere else. Coverage of big-name restaurant outings has been particularly profuse this year; every New York spot Taylor Swift has patronized, for example, has been thoroughly documented and mapped online.
All that V.I.P. voyeurism has turned these sightings into a priceless form of currency for restaurateurs. Even a handful of TikTok videos of Post Malone eating spaghetti at a back table can guarantee solid bookings for months. Several high-profile openings this year, including the Corner Store, Bungalow and Crane Club, have drawn a parade of A-listers and in turn become some of the toughest reservations in town.
What’s the secret to attracting the rich and famous? We visited several star-frequented establishments in New York, and learned that many share similar strategies. Here are nine ways that restaurants draw big names to their doors.
1. Hire a host with the most.
She has a knack for logistics and an irresistible magnetism. He knows exactly who’s coming in tonight and what they love (or hate) to eat. These hosts will hand-deliver dishes and keep the Champagne flowing — all while casually mentioning that Rihanna swung by yesterday.
Emilio Vitolo, the second-generation owner of the Italian restaurant Emilio’s Ballato in NoLIta, is the archetype. He's omnipresent at the restaurant and its next-door speakeasy, Da Milio, floating from table to table with a cigarette in hand, schmoozing in his thick New York accent with guests like George Clooney, all three Jonas Brothers and, yes, Ms. Swift.
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