Tavern on the Green Cookbook: Seasonal Recipes and Historical Treasures from New York City's Iconic Restaurant

by Bill Peet, David Salama (Primary Contributor), Jim Caiola (Primary Contributor)

368 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication April 7, 2026

About the author

Bill Peet was an American children's book illustrator and a story writer for Disney Studios. He joined Disney in 1937 and worked on The Jungle Book, Song of the South, Cinderella, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, The Sword in the Stone, Goliath II, Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, Dumbo, Pinocchio, Fantasia, The Three Caballeros, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and other stories.

After successes developing short stories for Disney, Peet had his first book published, Hubert's Hair Raising Adventure.

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tavern on the Green is one of the few remaining iconic restaurants of old NYC. Tourists go there, NYers go there, celebrities go there (although maybe not as much as in the past), it’s been featured in films, books and TV. I first went there in the 90s, it was stuffy, wildly expensive and the food was not very good. I didn’t go back until the early 2000s, this time for a glam book party, thanks Luciie Arnez! Then It closed in 2009 and we all thought it would never come back, but reopened in 2014 with a more casual vibe, the food was still just ok, but it was always nice to have drinks at the outdoor bar in the back of the terrace. This is the long way of saying I have a soft spot for Tavern and was lucky to get an early peek at this book from NetGalley.

The recipes are great, although I don’t remember a lot of them being on the menu at the restaurant. And, they definitely seem better here than what you’ll get if you visit. The book really shines with its bits of history that open each chapter and the gorgeous photos of the restaurant and food, truly some of the best photos I’ve seen in a cookbook in ages. They’re gonna sell a million copies of this one in the gift shop, although the $45 price tag is stretching what I want to pay for a book.

[Pattie Tierney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just spent a delightful afternoon with the Tavern on the Green cookbook, and it’s every bit the celebration you’d expect from a restaurant that’s been dazzling New Yorkers for nearly a century. This isn’t just a collection of recipes—it’s a love letter to a landmark. The book opens with a rich, beautifully told history, tracing the restaurant’s journey from a humble 1870s sheep shelter to the glittering dining destination reborn under Warner LeRoy in the 1970s. You’ll feel like you’ve walked through its doors a dozen times, even if you’ve never been.

The recipes are the heart of the book, and they’re as memorable as the setting. Standouts include the Grilled Butterflied Leg of Lamb with Red Wine-Garlic Butter, Roasted Prosciutto-Wrapped Scallops, and the Marathon Pasta served annually before the New York City Marathon. Each dish is tied to the seasons, with monthly sections ensuring you cook with the freshest ingredients. I’m not usually a lava cake fan, but the Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes—with their molten peanut butter centers—have me rethinking my stance. The Chocolate Challah Bread Pudding with Peanut Butter Sauce is another winner; I’m already planning to make the sauce alone for dipping banana slices.

Practical touches abound. A “Pantry” section offers homemade stocks and staples you can prepare and store, while a thorough index makes everything easy to find. The photography is stunning—lush, inviting shots that make you want to cook immediately—and the stories of famous guests (from Madonna to John Gotti) add a dash of glamour.

Whether you’re a home cook, a New Yorker with fond memories, or searching for a standout holiday gift, this book delivers. It’s equal parts history, inspiration, and delicious possibility.

I received an advance digital copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

[Annabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hosting patrons from celebrities, to tourists looking to dine at an iconic location, not to mention generations of locals celebrating a special occasion or having a business lunch, Tavern on the Green is the historic restaurant at the heart of Central Park. The cookbook from its executive chef gives its frequent guests, those tourists who want to recapture the memory, and even those who've never been but always wanted to go, a chance at a taste of the menu. The food is American with some continental flair, the style is casual though upscale, and the theme follows the restaurant through the year. The Introduction section comes with a bit about the chef as well as delving into the history of the recognizable restaurant. The chef begins with a short section on equipment and concludes with a section on "Pantry" that fills in stocks, staples, and dressings that are used in multiple recipes through the book. The rest of the book goes beyond cooking with the season to the understanding of a rotating menu and presents the recipes in sections by month (as well as a special Thanksgiving section). Most recipes are straight forward and seem to be written for the average home cook. Format of recipes is fairly common, with ingredients and directions as well as a short introductory blurb. Most recipes are accompanied by a photo of the finished product which even gives an idea of plating. The way that the book is organized also lends itself to menu grouping since appetizers, entrees and deserts from the same month will have ingredients that are in season at the same time and likely compliment each other. Even the blurbs at the beginning of each monthly chapter are a nice read that give you the feeling of being there in that time which is great for someone who wants to revisit a memory. The book is rounded out with photos of the restaurant itself, featuring both guest spaces and kitchen. I enjoyed reading through the book and am eager to try more of its recipes.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Globe Pequot Publishing) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.