ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Marcel Restaurant Opens in Sotheby's Breuer Building with French Cuisine and Art Displays

architecture-design · 2026-04-17

This week, Marcel debuted in the Breuer building on New York's Upper East Side, a brutalist icon from 1966 that once hosted the Whitney Museum and now stands as Sotheby's headquarters. This restaurant is a collaboration between Sotheby's and Roman and Williams founders Robin and Stephen Alesch, serving French-inspired dishes alongside changing art exhibits. It accommodates 140 diners in a space that reflects the midcentury design, featuring walnut-paneled walls and an open kitchen. Chef-partner Marie-Aude Rose manages the restaurant, while executive chef Juan Moncalvo curates the continental menu. Additionally, La Mercerie Patisserie offers a selection of pastries, and a 70-seat sculpture garden enhances the dining experience, showcasing art in a dynamic gallery format.

Key facts

  • Marcel restaurant opened this week in New York's Breuer building
  • The Breuer building is a 1966 brutalist masterpiece by architect Marcel Breuer
  • The building previously housed the Whitney Museum of American Art
  • The building now serves as Sotheby's New York headquarters
  • The restaurant is a partnership between Sotheby's and Roman and Williams founders Robin and Stephen Alesch
  • Chef-partner Marie-Aude Rose oversees food operations
  • Executive chef Juan Moncalvo creates the menus
  • The restaurant features rotating art displays in Goppion-designed vitrines

Entities

Artists

  • Marcel Breuer
  • Robin Alesch
  • Stephen Alesch
  • Marie-Aude Rose
  • Juan Moncalvo
  • Cass Bird
  • Rich Stapleton
  • Nico Schinco
  • Freya Gothelf

Institutions

  • Sotheby's
  • Whitney Museum of American Art
  • Roman and Williams
  • La Mercerie
  • Estelle Manor
  • Pierre Frey
  • Galerie Magazine

Locations

  • New York
  • United States
  • Upper East Side
  • Madison Avenue
  • Soho
  • English countryside
  • Japan

Sources