Sotheby's Marcel Restaurant Offers Design-Retail-Art Experience in NYC's Breuer Building

The new French restaurant is a collaboration between Roman and Williams and chef Marie-Aude Rose.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 9:16pm

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A vibrant, high-contrast silkscreen print featuring a repeated pattern of a single, iconic dining chair in shades of electric blue, neon pink, and bright yellow, conceptually representing the design-focused, experiential nature of the Marcel restaurant.Marcel restaurant's one-of-a-kind dining experience blends high-end cuisine, bespoke design, and access to rare art and collectibles.Montauk Today

Sotheby's has opened a new French restaurant called Marcel in the historic Breuer Building on Manhattan's Upper East Side. The restaurant was designed by Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch of the firm Roman and Williams, who also created a custom furniture and tableware collection for the space. Marcel offers diners the unique experience of being able to purchase the furnishings, glassware, and even artwork featured in the restaurant.

Why it matters

This project represents a new model for the dining experience, blending high-end cuisine, bespoke design, and access to rare art and collectibles all under one roof. It showcases how leading design firms and cultural institutions are collaborating to create immersive, multi-faceted destinations that cater to modern consumers' desire for unique, experiential offerings.

The details

Every aspect of Marcel, from the furnishings to the tableware, was designed by Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch of Roman and Williams. The designers drew inspiration from the Brutalist architecture of the Breuer Building, incorporating materials and motifs that echo the building's iconic style. Patrons can purchase items from the new Marcel collection, including lighting, casegoods, and a custom line of glassware created in collaboration with Kyoto artisan Naoya Arakawa. The restaurant will also feature a rotating selection of artworks and design objects available for purchase from Sotheby's.

  • Marcel restaurant opened in April 2026 in the Breuer Building on Manhattan's Upper East Side.
  • Roman and Williams launched their first restaurant, La Mercerie, in 2017 at their RW Guild boutique in SoHo.

The players

Robin Standefer

Co-founder of the design firm Roman and Williams, which oversaw the design and furnishings of Marcel restaurant.

Stephen Alesch

Co-founder of the design firm Roman and Williams, which oversaw the design and furnishings of Marcel restaurant.

Marie-Aude Rose

Chef who devised the Continental-meets-classic-New York menu with a French accent for Marcel restaurant.

Naoya Arakawa

Kyoto-based artisan who collaborated with Roman and Williams to create a custom line of glassware for Marcel restaurant.

Marcel Breuer

Architect of the Breuer Building, which houses the new Marcel restaurant.

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What they’re saying

“We were definitely in dialogue with Breuer. He was really a serial, curious collector and maker, and so are we. When we were in the room before the opening, testing recipes, sometimes I would say to Stephen, I feel like having dinner with him. It was like he was sitting there with us.”

— Robin Standefer, Co-founder, Roman and Williams

“There is really something very pioneering about the way the customer gets to interact with the pieces. And then, if they're ready for the next part of that journey, they can have them.”

— Robin Standefer, Co-founder, Roman and Williams

What’s next

Marcel is set to open to the public in April 2026, offering diners a unique design-retail-art experience in the iconic Breuer Building.

The takeaway

Marcel represents a new model for high-end dining that seamlessly integrates bespoke design, access to rare art and collectibles, and a focus on craftsmanship and artistry. This collaboration between a leading design firm, a renowned chef, and a cultural institution like Sotheby's points to the growing demand for immersive, multi-sensory experiences that blur the lines between hospitality, retail, and the arts.