Danny Meyer Marks 40 Years of His Little Restaurant That Could

On the night before the LSAT, a young Danny Meyer complained to his uncle that he didn’t want to be a lawyer. His uncle replied, “You’ve been talking about food and restaurants your whole life; why don’t you do that?” Four decades later, it appears Meyer’s decision to skip the LSAT has paid off. He’s the founder and executive chairman of Union Square Hospitality Group, the company behind New York restaurants such as Gramercy Tavern, the Modern, Manhatta, Ci Siamo and the View. But the restaurant that started it all is Union Square Cafe, which Meyer founded in 1985. Reflecting on USC’s 40th birthday, Meyer recently chatted with senior editor Mitch Frank about life at the top of the New York City food scene. 

This interview was originally published on Dec. 5, 2025. You can read the full-length version for free here.

Try Winespectator.com Free for 30 Days!

Full access to our database of more than 425,000 wine ratings

Early access to reviews on our editors' favorite just-rated wines

Wine and food pairing tool,
chefs' pairing recommendations

Best value wines and winery intel

Subscribe today