Nobu's Downtown NYC Location Is Housed In This Historic Building

In 1994, Chef Nobuyuki "Nobu" Matsuhisa partnered with actor Robert De Niro and architect David Rockwell to open the first Nobu location in the Tribeca neighborhood of New York City (via CNN). The restaurant's debut attracted celebrities and foodies alike; calling them to experience the chef's innovative fusion of Japanese and Peruvian cuisine. Today, Nobu is synonymous with high-end dining, extending its legacy to locations around the globe — from inside luxury hotels in far-off places like Ibiza, Riyadh, and Manila, to its marvelously reviewed restaurants in cities like Hong Kong, Dubai, and Barcelona (via Nobu Restaurants).

With nearly 40 restaurants and eight hotels spread across five continents (via CNN), Nobu's restaurant turned lifestyle brand, Nobu Hospitality, has seemingly created a world of its own. Unfortunately, this growth has become too much for the original Tribeca location to accommodate. With this, the location closed and made a historic move from Tribeca to the city's Financial District — a neighborhood better known for stocks and hedge-funds than food, per the New York Post in 2015. In a discussion with the New York Post, Drew Nieporent, one of Nobu's co-owners, said that he "made a deal we couldn't refuse" to move the restaurant into one of the Financial District's most iconic buildings.

Constructed in 1912, 195 Broadway is best known as the American Telephone & Telegraph (AT&T) Building, which was the headquarters of the communications company from the 1920s to the 1980s (via NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission). The building was the site of the first-ever transcontinental phone call, which took place in 1915 when Alexander Graham Bell called San Francisco. In 1927, 195 Broadway was also the site of the world's first-ever transatlantic phone call when the company's president called a post office in Great Britain (via Big Apple Secrets). Given the building's history, it seems fitting that Nobu restaurant would move into this location.

The 12,500 square foot space, set up to seat nearly 280 guests at once, is a significant upgrade in space from the restaurant's original location. Continuing Nobu's relationship with architect David Rockwell, the interior design maintains the blend of Peruvian and Japanese styles found in the prior Tribeca location while respecting the new landmarked location's architecture (via Archello). The same can be said for the location's menu, which adds excitement with new dishes and cocktails. From items like the tuna tataki, fluke sashimi, and uni oil yaki to unique cocktails like the fig-infused "Hudson 105," Nobu Downtown sticks to its roots while continuing its reputation for out-of-the-box Japanese cuisine.