Le Pain Quotidien Opens at Conservatory Water in Central Park

NYC Parks today announced the opening of Le Pain Quotidien at Conservatory Water in Central Park. Located on the east side of the Park at East 74th Street, Le Pain Quotidien at Conservatory Water offers a delicious selection of foods and beverages to the park-going public.

"Central Park is the host to 40 million annual visitors and NYC Parks is proud to partner with Le Pain Quotidien in providing them with high quality refreshments," said NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP. "Since 2010, Le Pain Quotidien has done a remarkable job operating the historic Mineral Springs concession site, and they will surely establish themselves as a favorite at Conservatory Water. Whether enjoying model sailboats, birding, storytelling, or a stroll in the park, visitors to Conservatory Water can quench their hunger and thirst with Le Pain Quotidien's expertly prepared offerings."

"Summer in New York City is an incredible time to take to the outdoors and we're excited to open this al fresco location at Conservatory Water," said Jack Moran, Le Pain Quotidien's US CEO. "We look forward to partnering with NYC Parks again and continuing to build our relationship with the dynamic Central Park community. From the park-going locals, to families at the boat pond to visiting tourists, our menu has something for everyone. We have enjoyed coming up with a creative offering to match this iconic location, with features you wouldn't typically find at a Le Pain Quotidien, like an outdoor cocktail bar and a locally sourced hot dog!"

Starting today, Monday, July 6, Le Pain Quotidien at Conservatory Water will open daily at 7:00 a.m. and remains open until sunset. The large kiosk offers a wide variety of food and beverages including sandwiches, soups, salads, parfaits, baked goods, cappuccinos, espressos, beer, wine and cocktails. They also operate the Snack Shack, a smaller kiosk, open from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., offering organic ice cream, savory snacks, cookies, brownies, coffees, teas and juices.

Le Pain Quotidien, which in French literally means "the daily bread," is a Belgian company with more than 200 bakery-restaurant locations in 17 countries across five continents. The company is known for its handmade organic bread, signature tartines, soup, salads, and pastries and puts an emphasis on using organic ingredients whenever possible. Conservatory Water is Le Pain Quotidien's second location in Central Park. In 2010, they invested more than $1 million to capitally improve the Mineral Springs site, restoring the facility and bringing it closer to Park designer Calvert Vaux's vision for the structure. In April 2015, they opened a new kiosk in Bryant Park.

The Conservatory Water area of Central Park is a popular venue because of the famous climbing sculptures, the story-telling programs, the model boats, and its role in the children's classic Stuart Little. An ornamental pond was constructed as a reflecting pool for a glass conservatory, but when the plan for a structure was abandoned, the water body became the popular model boat pond, inspired by those in Parisian parks.