Gramercy Tavern Alum Opens Irving Mill

Last week, executive chef John Schaefer (formerly chef de cuisine of Gramercy Tavern) opened his green-market-driven, seasonal American restaurant Irving Mill, in the space previously occupied by Candela, just east of Union Square. The roomy restaurant has a warm and rustic look (the design is a tribute to 19th-century New York), with wooden floors and furniture throughout, plaster walls, and stone accents as well as historic artifacts and artwork based on Washington Irving's personal collection.Although it will change seasonally, Schaefer's menu includes specialties such as ricotta ravioli with lobster mushrooms, corn, and cranberry beans, and stout-braised beef short ribs with pepper chutney, potato gratin, and bone marrow. At the front of Irving Mill's space is the taproom, a 25-person bar area, and on the lower level is a private dining area that seats as many as 50; the main dining room seats 120.