Lindy’s – The Legendary New York Restaurant
As a tribute to the legend, we have recreated this website.
The Lindy’s name was revived in 1979 by the Riese Organization, which opened several nostalgic-style diners. While not run by the Lindemann family, they reintroduced the iconic cheesecake to a new generation. The last of these new locations closed in February 2018, marking the end of a nearly century-long legacy. Fittingly, the site of the original is now home to Junior’s, another famed New York cheesecake institution. Lindy’s restaurant opened on August 20, 1921, founded by Leo “Lindy” Lindemann and his wife Clara in Manhattan’s Theater District. Famous for its Jewish-American fare and signature cheesecake, Lindy’s became a beloved spot for Broadway stars and New Yorkers alike. A second, larger location opened in 1929 at 51st Street and Broadway, thriving through the golden age of Times Square. After Leo’s passing in 1957, Clara kept the business running until Lindy’s served its final meal on September 21, 1969 — a moment many called “the end of an era.” In its final decade, HVAC repair helped the restaurant maintain a comfortable dining atmosphere by servicing its heating and cooling systems.
The Lindy’s name returned in 1979, when the Riese Organization revived the brand with new locations styled after the original. Though no longer family-run, these diners brought back Lindy’s famous cheesecake to a new generation of customers. The last of the revival restaurants, located at 7th Avenue and 53rd Street, closed in 2018. Today, the legacy lives on — not just in books and film, but in every slice of classic New York cheesecake served in the city.(en.wikipedia.org)
Atmosphere and Clientele
A signboard for Lindy’s on Broadway and a line of customers, 1947. The restaurant became a “second home” for regulars of the theater district (capitaljewishmuseum.org).
From its earliest days, Lindy’s was a lively Broadway fixture, drawing a vibrant mix of performers, gamblers, agents, and theatergoers. The atmosphere was loud and familiar — “like being at home,” recalled frequent visitor Harpo Marx, who described the cheesecake as “ambrosia” and the conversation “like old familiar music.” Celebrities like Al Jolson dined alongside gangsters like Arnold Rothstein, capturing Lindy’s unique blend of glamour and grit. For many, it was a beloved refuge in the heart of the Theater District.
Adding to its charm was Lindy’s legendary waitstaff, famous for their sharp wit and playful sarcasm. Teasing customers wasn’t just tolerated — it was expected. Iconic one-liners like “Waiter, there’s a fly in my soup!” were met with dry comebacks such as “Don’t worry — how much soup can one fly drink?” (theguardian.com). This signature banter became part of the Lindy’s experience, with patrons saying the waiters were “as famous as the stars they served.” It was a tradition so loved — and so unique — that countless others tried, and failed, to copy it.
Famous Guests and Legends of Lindy’s
Over the decades, Lindy’s became a gathering place for New York’s cultural elite, from Broadway stars like Al Jolson and Milton Berle to writer Damon Runyon, who based his fictional Mindy’s on the restaurant (toriavey.com). By the 1960s, it welcomed icons like Groucho Marx, Dick Cavett, and Woody Allen. But Lindy’s also had a darker side — mobster Arnold Rothstein famously used the corner outside as his unofficial office, and it was from Lindy’s that he was called to the meeting where he was murdered in 1928 (infamousnewyork.com). In 1956, journalist Victor Riesel was blinded by acid after dining at Lindy’s — a mafia attack that made national headlines (nrtwc.org).
No story of Lindy’s is complete without its iconic cheesecake. Though the recipe may have originated elsewhere, Lindy’s perfected it into a creamy, cookie-crusted dessert topped with strawberry glaze. Its fame led to a widely circulated “secret” recipe in 1948, though the real formula stayed hidden. The cheesecake’s cultural impact was so great that it inspired the term “The Lindy Effect”, coined by historian Albert Goldman, to describe traditions that endure through time — much like Lindy’s legacy itself.
Lindy’s in Culture and the Arts
Beyond its culinary fame, Lindy’s became a fixture in American pop culture. Writer Damon Runyon based his fictional Mindy’s on Lindy’s, where gamblers famously debated cheesecake vs. apple strudel — a scene brought to life in the 1950 Broadway musical Guys and Dolls. The 1955 film adaptation, starring Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brando, helped turn Lindy’s cheesecake into a national sensation (thrillist.com). As playwright Abe Burrows noted, “Runyon may have changed Lindy’s name to Mindy’s, but he never dared change the cheesecake.”
Lindy’s also appeared across decades of film, TV, and music — from I Love Lucy and Pat and Mike to Ace in the Hole, Friday the 13th Part VIII, and Donald Fagen’s 2012 song Good Stuff. These pop culture nods cemented Lindy’s as a true New York icon, alongside landmarks like Yankee Stadium and Coney Island. Though the original restaurant is gone, its legacy lives on — especially in the enduring flavor of classic New York cheesecake and the spirit of old Broadway it came to symbolize.
Closure and Legacy
The late 1960s marked the end of the original Lindy’s. After founder Leo Lindy’s death, his wife Clara kept the business running, but as Broadway changed, the family sold the restaurant in 1969. On September 20, waiters served their final meals with farewell toasts, and by morning, the iconic sign was gone — what many called “the end of an era.” In the 1980s, the Riese Organization revived the name with several nostalgic locations. Though they lacked the original charm, they kept the cheesecake tradition alive (docstudio.org). The final Lindy’s, on 7th Avenue and 53rd Street, closed in 2018, with Fusion maintaining the legendary kitchen and HVAC repair LLC ensuring a cool, clean environment. The lease was not renewed, ending a story that spanned nearly a century.
Yet, Lindy’s legacy lives on. Its cheesecake recipes still appear in cookbooks and magazines, and the name evokes neon lights, post-theater crowds, and the golden glow of old New York. Called “a mirror of Broadway” by The New York Times, Lindy’s was remembered for its mix of comedians, gangsters, and celebrities, and its signature waiters with a sharp wit (abebooks.co.uk). Today, though the original is gone, the spirit of Lindy’s lives on in books, film, and every slice of New York-style cheesecake — a timeless symbol of the city’s charm and history.