National Park Service seeks new operator for City Tavern

The National Park Service is seeking a new operator for City Tavern, the colonial-themed restaurant in Old City that closed in fall 2020 after the pandemic crushed tourism.

In a request for proposals announced last week, the park service said it seeks a restaurant “compatible with a national historical park setting. ... The operation should have character, attract diverse visitors, and serve the surrounding community as well as visitors to the park.”

Last year, the park service issued a “request for expressions of interest,” a more preliminary solicitation, to which eight restaurant operators responded, a spokesperson said. All said they wanted to present an American colonial theme.

City Tavern, with costumed staff and heavy use of pewter and candles, rocked a ye olde theme from its opening at 138 S. Second St. in 1976, which coincided with the Bicentennial. The site’s original tavern, built in 1773 for the First Continental Congress, was partially destroyed by fire on March 22, 1834. The structure was demolished in 1854.

City Tavern’s last operator, chef Walter Staib, took over in 1994. With keen attention to detail, Staib wrote the book on colonial dining — actually, several books — and helped to blunt a tourist-trap reputation. Business volume was about $3.8 million a year in 2019, the park service said.

The facility can accommodate 250 people on five levels, including three dining levels, three kitchens, multiple offices, and storage space. A large outdoor dining patio and courtyard are included.

Deadline to respond to the request for proposals is March 27, making it unlikely the restaurant will be ready for visitors this summer.