Ralph Lauren's Polo Bar to Open in New York City

Photo: Ralph Lauren

Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that Polo Bar, the forthcoming New York City restaurant from Ralph Lauren, is a lot like the celebrated designer’s classic style: luxurious, elegant, and festooned with Old World flourishes. This according to the New York Times, which has the scoop on Polo Bar’s opening later this month, down the street from the Ralph Lauren flagship on Fifth Avenue.

"To call the Polo Bar clubby would be a meek understatement," writes the Times’ Jeff Gordinier. "Aglow with amber light and dense with equestrian paintings and trophies, it feels like a country club as staged by Steven Spielberg."

Ralph’s Coffee in New York City. Photo: Ralph’s Coffee

The food, however, is more Brooklyn chophouse than members-only club. Burgers, corned beef sandwiches, steaks, and crab cakes will be on offer, which, as the Times notes, is a decisive step away from the modernist fare that’s dominated the upscale food scene of late.

"The food you’re going to come here for is really the best I can do," Lauren told the publication. "It’s not about a fancy chef." He doesn’t see Polo Bar functioning as a special occasion restaurant, but rather a neighborhood haunt. "I want to be the restaurant you want to go to twice a week," he said.

RL in Chicago. Photo: Ralph Lauren

Polo Bar is Lauren’s third restaurant, joining one in Paris, Ralph’s, and another, RL, in Chicago. A coffeeshop, Ralph’s Coffee, opened in New York City earlier this year.

Ralph’s in Paris. Photo: Ralph’s

But the question remains: Will diners opt for an eatery helmed by a star from the world of fashion, rather than food? If Lauren’s restaurant-opening trajectory can be judged, he’s betting the answer is “yes.” 

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Would you dine at Polo Bar? Tell us below!