Last Friday, September 24, Lincoln finally made its public debut. The much-buzzed-about project—the first solo venture from Jonathan Benno, the former chef de cuisine at Per Se—is the newest addition to the Patina Restaurant Group's portfolio of eateries and was conceived as a sister restaurant to Los Angeles flagship Patina. The Diller, Scofidio & Renfro-designed structure also marks another completed component of Lincoln Center's campus expansion.
In its location at the northern end of Hearst Plaza, Lincoln conveniently sits between Alice Tully Hall, the Metropolitan Opera House, Avery Fisher Hall, and the David H. Koch Theatre, making it an ideal place for entertaining clients before (or after) taking in a ballet, opera, or musical performance. A private room allows larger groups to congregate.
Much like the face-lift given to Alice Tully Hall last year, Elizabeth Diller and Ricardo Scofidio's design for the Upper West Side space is striking. The multilevel structure is a glass-enclosed pavilion, topped with a 7,200-square-foot curved, sloping roof that Diller describes as shaped like a hyberbolic paraboloid (think Pringles potato chips). The roof itself is covered with grass and open to the public. Below, the main dining space is sleek and modern, furnished with brushed stainless steel, stone tiles, and a muted color palette. An open kitchen occupies a central spot and looks out onto the 111-seat dining room. Also on this level is a bar that seats seven as well as a 44-seat lounge and outdoor seating for 28. The area for private dining is on the lower level and seats about 16.
The menu, which offers Benno's modern interpretation of traditional Italian dishes, includes a prix-fixe lunch option as well as a seven-course chef's tasting menu, with items like spaghetti al pomodoro and cavatelli con vongole, and small shared plates such as gnocchi di patate alla bava. Accompanying this is a selection of Italian wines.
