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A British hospitality group behind some of London’s most discreet private clubs is preparing to take over an entire Upper East Side townhouse currently home to one of the neighborhood’s most established Italian restaurants.
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At the May 5 meeting of Community Board 8’s Street Life Committee, board members voted 12-0 to approve a new on-premise liquor license for a private members club at 24 East 81st Street, between Madison and Fifth Avenues. The applicants plan to operate across all five floors of the building, including a rooftop with both indoor and outdoor space.Attorney Donald Bernstein, representing the applicants, told the committee that the operators run a number of private members clubs in London, including the Estelle and Celeste brands, and that the Upper East Side location would be modeled after those. Sean Coogan, joining the meeting from London, described the existing Notting Hill location as a “hosted home” with two restaurants — one American, one Japanese — four bars, cultural programming that includes keynote speakers, chess tournaments, running clubs, and private dining spaces. Coogan said the Upper East Side property would follow a similar model, with restaurant and private dining as a major focus alongside lounge seating and an executive office and workspace component intended for all-day use.
The rooftop will include eight tables and 24 seats on an outdoor terrace, with no bar in the open-air section. The remainder of the top floor will be an indoor lounge.
Maximum legal occupancy for the building would be 280, though the applicants noted the exact figure will not be finalized until they complete the Department of Buildings ALT-1 process. The building is currently zoned for residential use on the upper floors, and the group is in the process of applying to change the certificate of occupancy.
In response to questions from board members about the club’s intended clientele, Coogan said the Notting Hill membership skews local, with roughly half of members living within walking distance, an even split between men and women, and members drawn from creative industries, finance, law, and tech. About 20 percent of Celeste members in London are under 30. The Upper East Side location will be 21 and over.
Board member Kimberly Selway pressed for specifics on the rooftop programming, citing concerns about replicating crowd issues seen near other Manhattan members clubs. She was satisfied after the applicants confirmed the open-air portion would function as a dining space rather than an event venue or standalone bar.
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The approval was conditioned on a stipulation that the applicants comply with all Department of Buildings regulations, including any required public assembly permits. The recommendation now moves to the full Community Board 8 for a final vote.The townhouse is currently the home of Sistina, the longtime Italian restaurant owned by chef and sommelier Giuseppe Bruno. Sistina relocated to 24 East 81st Street in 2016 after spending 33 years on Second Avenue. Bernstein told the committee that the new operators “will be taking it over,” and described the existing condition as Sistina occupying the ground floor, lower level, and second floor of the building.
The fate of Sistina was not directly addressed during the meeting, and no board member raised the question. East Side Feed has reached out to the restaurant for comment and will update this article if and when a response is received.
East Side Feed has also contacted the Estelle group for additional details on the planned New York property, including a target opening date, branding, and how membership will work for the Upper East Side location.
We’ll provide updates as we learn more.
