America Eats Tavern Will Close in July, With Minibar Set to Reopen in the Fall

José Andrés stopped into the Eater Lounge at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen this past weekend to chat with Eater National about his various projects and the future of America Eats Tavern. As expected, Andrés confirmed that he's still planning to close America Eats on July 4 — one full year after it opened as a companion to a National Archives "What's Cooking, Uncle Sam?" exhibit. But what's the plan for the space after July 4 — and, in particular, for Minibar? Andrés explains:

I own the building, so Minibar is still going to be alive. Minibar is a very time-consuming place. The four, five, six members that I have working full-time on Minibar, we're going to be doing a lot of traveling, to Denmark, to Spain with me, to Marrakech, Morocco, and maybe Singapore. We'll begin taking reservations [for Minibar] in September, and we'll reopen in October.

Andrés also says he wants "to keep America Eats alive," though he can't quite announce yet what he's going to put into the space after July 4. Separately, a Think Food Group spokesperson tells the City Paper that whatever does go into that space will "remain an intimate experience." And in what should be encouraging to fans of the late Café Atlantico, Andrés tells Eater National that, "America Eats, like a lot of other concepts I have, they are only dormant. I have them there, and I know sooner or later that I will bring them back to life."

· José Andrés on The Bazaar at SLS Miami and the Future of America Eats Tavern [Eater National]
· All Previous America Eats Tavern Coverage [-EDC-]

José Andrés at America Eats Tavern last year before it opened [R. Lopez]