In the summer of 2005, Mary Feldman discovered a slice of the Lower East Side at 115 Allen Street. To save the uninhabited space from becoming a Quiznos, she approached friend and restaurateur, Richard H. Freidberg, with an idea. Two years later, in October 2007, Mary and Richard opened Allen & Delancey, and transformed this space into an unexpected dining destination. Today, several small rooms are illuminated by flickering candles and creates the feeling of a fallen attic, or hidden passageway, an ambiance crafted by Jason Volenec of RKIT Design. Filled with relics of former inhabitants, time seems to stop among the cracked paintings, tethered books, exposed brick walls and heavy drapes, just long enough to enjoy an exceptional meal and seductive cocktail.
The menu, under the direction of chef Kyle Bailey, offers a farm-fresh approach to classic American dishes with international influences, reflective of the restaurant’s eclectic Lower East Side neighborhood. Chef Bailey draws inspiration from old-world techniques, such as house-cured meats and house-made sausages and pasta, and seasonal influences that complement the restaurant’s appeal and elegance. Pastry chef Tiffany Macisaac offers freshly baked bread and a selection of desserts that complement the menu.
The cocktail list developed by Alex Day is an intuitive crafting of spirits. The thought provoking elixirs perfectly complement the long dim lit corridor where they are stirred and sipped, long before and after dinner. The wine list, directed by sommelier Alex Miranda, ranges from eclectic and unexpected finds to connoisseur classics.
Since its opening, Allen and Delancey has collected a 2009 Michelin Star Award, 2 stars from The New York Times, was noted as a best new restaurant in 2008 by New York Magazine and Time Out New York.
*Gift Certificates are available for any occasion.
Allen & Delancey was designed by Jason Volenec of RKIT.
There were the roses, in the rain.
Don't cut them, I pleaded.
They won't last, she said.
But they're so beautiful
where they are.
Agh, we were all beautiful once, she said,
and cut them and gave them to me
in my hand.
— William Carlos Williams
