The Russian Tea Room celebrates its centennial birthday! Stepping inside, guests are transported back to 1926- that timeless feel that’s unexplainable and so natural.
Director of Operations at the Russian Tea Room, Isbelle Biberaj, explains how many restaurants opening up are trying to mimic what old New York feels like. “We don’t have to pretend; we are old New York, and it’s coming back in style and will always be in style,” Biberaj said.
Celebrating 100 years isn’t an accomplishment many restaurants in New York City can claim; The Russian Tea Room proves that longevity is one factor behind this milestone.
“The key to the Russian Tea Room’s longevity has definitely been the atmosphere of the dining room, as well as staying true to classic dishes that we’ve had for the past 100 years,” Biberaj said. “People love coming here for our beef stroganoff, chicken Kyiv, and our kulebyaka; those are some of our best sellers, as well as our Russian Tea Room red borscht, which is extremely popular.”
A deeper dive into the menu reveals the classic dishes that have remained the restaurant’s century-long legacy.
The Russian Tea Room’s beef stroganof
To start, the Beef Stroganoff, also known as Boeuf à la Stroganoff, is slow-cooked beef with egg noodles in a black truffle cream sauce. The Chicken Kiev, or Côtelette à la Kiev, is herb-butter-stuffed, breaded chicken, served with Yukon mashed potatoes, broccoli rabe, fresh carrot slices, and mushroom sauce on the side.
Accompanied with the caviar tasting includes three buckwheat blinis topped with five grams of Hackleback, Paddlefish, and White Sturgeon caviar, sour cream, chopped eggs, red onions, and parsley. Many guests also gravitate towards the Red Borscht, a Russian beet soup with seasonal vegetables, dill, short rib, and bacon broth, served with a braised beef pirozhok and sour cream.
Beyond their classic Russian dishes, the Russian Tea Room’s interior makes up for more than a tea room.
“We’re larger than just a tea room; we have three private event floors, we have full brunch, lunch and dinner service,” Biberaj said. “We are a place for people to come and share memories, and I think that will continue for the next 100 years.”
Over the past 100 years, tradition has helped preserve an atmosphere that fosters a timeless aspect of dining.
Photo by Bridgette Leahy
“I think one of the ways we remain timeless is that, for the most part, the Russian Tea Room is pretty much in its original state, so you come in here, and you’re transported into any time from 1926 to 2026,” Biberaj said.
Particularly in hospitality, guests are assured of a personalized experience with friends and family throughout the restaurant.
“People will come here and request our table 2, which Tootsie was filmed in the 80s, and that is something people want to see today,” Biberaj said.
Not to mention, the Russian Tea Room has ties to another colonial business, Carnegie Hall, when theaters were still movie theaters.
“We also have the fact that the Russian Tea Room and Carnegie Hall have had such a long lasting partnership, where in the 50s, when the Philharmonic moved to Lincoln Center, they had asked the owner at the time at the Russian Tea Room to move to Lincoln Center and he said no, so i think those are 2 out of many defining moments here at the Russian Tea Room,” Bibjeraj says.
The connection goes beyond just the history; even today, guests or performers will stop by for dining, unable to resist that post-pre or post-dinner.
“We have a very long-lasting relationship with Carnegie Hall, even to the point where we get performers that celebrate with us to perform, either pre- or post-show,” Biberaj says. “People are always so excited to come to the Russian Tea Room and visit us for a pre-theater dinner.”
Photo by Bridgette Leahy
As regulars return and new customers join, an attraction of the Russian Tea Room is not just its atmosphere and Carnegie Hall adrenaline dining, but also its historic artwork. Biberaj explains her interactions with guests as they wander around the dining room, blown away by the artwork.
“A lot of conversations start with, ‘Oh, what artwork is real, who painted that?’” Biberaj explains. “I think the artwork is one of the biggest topics of discussion here.”
As guests make their way up the tea room’s second and third floors, they encounter unique and beautiful art portals. The first floor feels like an aquarium filled with winter bears.
In the bear lounge, a 15-ft-long bear aquarium is on display, with live fish swimming inside. Each wall of glass has two bears painted, each a couple of bears doing a different action.
On the second floor, there is a Fabergé egg-inspired tree sculpture, and then the stained glass, originally, when this was renovated in the 90s, was made with Tiffany glass.
A Fabergé egg-inspired tree sculpture on display at The Russian Tea Room.Photo by Bridgette Leahy
Lastly, on the 3rd floor, this room was renovated, and the renovators installed a hallway and pocket doors at the back, allowing it to be divided into three smaller rooms. In addition, there is a working fireplace with bears and Kremlin models in the back that are no longer operational, but they used to go through the Four Seasons and light up.
As the Russian Tea Room sets foot towards the future, Biberaj and the Russian Tea Room team hope to continue conserving the space, setting it up for success, and helping it thrive for the next 100 years.
If the history isn’t convincing enough to visit the Russian Tea Room, Biberaj leaves guests with one final mystery.
“One thing I want people to know about the Russian Tea Room is that some staff and guests think we are haunted; ghosts are living in these walls, and I guess you will just have to come find out.”
The Russian Tea Room is located at 150 West 57th St. For more information, visit russiantearoomnyc.com.