The Algonquin Hotel Unveils Modern Menus at Iconic Blue Bar
NEW YORK (January 5, 2026) – A new chapter has been written at The Algonquin Hotel, Autograph Collection, the literary landmark where wit, cocktails, and sharp conversation have always flowed freely. For more than 120 years, The Algonquin has been more than a hotel, serving as a stage for New York itself. Today, the Midtown icon unveils a new culinary and cocktail experience at its signature dining destination, The Blue Bar Restaurant & Lounge. The new menus honor the hotel’s century-old tradition of irreverent charm while embracing modern flavors and a refreshed point of view that reflects both the history and continued evolution of the iconic hotel.
“The Algonquin has always been a place where imagination and indulgence meet. The Blue Bar Restaurant & Lounge is an essential part of that story. Our new menus build on the hotel’s legacy in thoughtful ways, offering guests something familiar, something surprising, and something that feels unmistakably Algonquin.”
Willis Loughhead, General Manager of The Algonquin Hotel
At The Blue Bar Restaurant & Lounge, the new food menu reflects a balance of comfort and sophistication true to the spirit of the hotel. Starters such as Burrata Brûlée and Crab Avocado introduce bright, modern flavors, while entrées including Lamb Ribs, Broadway Grilled Cheese & Tomato Bisque, Thai Fried Chicken, and Steak au Poivre add depth and character. The selection blends nostalgia with a contemporary lens, suited to unhurried afternoons, late-night meals, and the conversations that have long animated the Algonquin’s tables.
The refreshed cocktail program extends this sense of evolution. The updated list blends new signatures with beloved house favorites, creating a collection that feels both timeless and forward-looking. New additions such as the Round Table and a reimagined Hamlet VIII introduce a contemporary edge, while modern staples including the Aperol Spritz and Espresso Martini join the permanent rotation. Longstanding favorites such as The Algonquin, Vicious Wit, Linger On, and Matilda remain central to the bar’s identity, reflecting a legacy that continues to attract the next generation of Blue Bar regulars.
Beyond the culinary updates, the menus themselves have been completely reimagined, the result of a close creative collaboration with the Al Hirschfeld Foundation. Created in partnership with David Leopold, Creative Director of the Foundation, the redesigned menus feature deep archival Hirschfeld drawings that reflect the characters and personalities who shaped New York’s cultural and theatrical life. Hirschfeld, a frequent Algonquin guest and keen observer of its eclectic crowd, considered the hotel an extension of his creative world, a connection the Foundation and the hotel continue to honor and celebrate.
“The Algonquin has been part of the Hirschfeld story for more than nine decades. The hotel has long been a gathering place for the characters Hirschfeld loved to draw, and it has become the Foundation’s home away from home. With the new menus, guests can now encounter his work at any hour of the day. He remained youthful by living in the present, and so does the Algonquin. It honors its past but is not beholden to it.”
David Leopold, Creative Director of the Foundation
With refreshed menus, a renewed artistic collaboration, and a continued commitment to its legacy of wit and warmth, The Algonquin remains one of New York City’s most enduring gathering places. The new offerings at The Blue Bar Restaurant & Lounge are now available daily at The Algonquin Hotel, located at 59 West 44th Street.
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