Earlier this year on April Fools' Day, the Empire State Building announced that they would be opening at a Rainforest Café on the iconic building's 86th floor observatory. If you got your hopes up just to find out it was all an April Fools' joke, rejoice, because now the joke is about to become reality. On October 3-6, 2024, all of your jungle-themed restaurant dreams will finally be coming true!
Sadly, however, according to the Empire State Building website, it will just be a pop-up store with "ESB merchandise" and not an actual full-blown restaurant, although there will be "special food offerings," including the fan favorite "Rasta Pasta," which my local Rainforest Café describes as: "Sautéed chicken, broccoli, red peppers, spinach, garlic, pesto, Alfredo sauce, penne pasta."
The Empire State Building explains:
Rainforest Cafe will open a limited time pop-up on the Empire State Building's 86th Floor Observatory from 10am to 8pm on Oct. 3-6. Fans of the nostalgic jungle-themed restaurant will have access to limited edition Rainforest Cafe x ESB merchandise and special food offerings.
Please note: this special activation is not a restaurant. All guests will be able to visit the pop-up with the purchase of a ticket at the link below. All purchases as part of the activation are not included in your ticket, but considered separate.
You can click here to reserve your spot, and prices start at $79.00 for adults, $73.00 for children, and $77.00 for seniors. I've personally never been to a Rainforest Café—unlike superfan Eddy Burback, who recently documented his trip to visit 18 Rainforest Cafés in the United States and Canada—but the nostalgic restaurant clearly still has lots of admirers. So, have at it, fans, and make a plan to set out on your pilgrimage to the Empire State Building before it's too late!
