| The Student Prince Cafe & Fort Restaurant | |
|---|---|
&sq=Qlik&lang=&file=File:The_Student_Prince_and_The_Fort.svg) | |
&sq=Qlik&lang=&file=File:The_Student_Prince_and_The_Fort_(Springfield,_Massachusetts).jpg) Fort Street façade of The Student Prince, set up for valet parking | |
 | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1935 |
| Owner(s) | Bean Restaurant Group Peter Picknelly |
| Previous owner(s) | Rudi Scherff |
| Head chef | Timothy Saxer |
| Food type | German, American |
| Dress code | Casual |
| Street address | 8 Fort Street, Springfield, MA 01103 |
| Reservations | Yes |
| Other locations |
|
| Website | www |
42°6′13.2″N 72°35′37.1″W / 42.103667°N 72.593639°W The Student Prince Cafe & The Fort Restaurant, commonly referred to as The Student Prince, is a German restaurant, established in 1935, located at the corner of Fort and Main Street in the Metro Center neighborhood of Springfield, Massachusetts. The restaurant has been described by The Boston Globe and The New York Times as a city landmark, and has served German foods and beer in its grand hall for 89 years.[1][2] Closing briefly from June until November 2014, the restaurant was purchased from longtime owner Rudi Scherff by Peter Picknelly of Peter Pan Bus Lines and Andy Yee, of the former Hu Ke Lau restaurant, in an agreement making them general partners, with Scherff remaining "the face of Student Prince".[2][3] In 2008, Gourmet listed it among "20 Legendary American Restaurants", among the company of Galatoire's, Locke-Ober, and the Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant.[4][5]
- ^ Kotker, Norman (May 19, 1985). "Learning to Love Springfield, Mass". The New York Times. p. S10, p.14.
- ^ a b MacQuarrie, Brian (November 29, 2014). "Springfield's iconic Fort restaurant reopens; Landmark was on the verge of closing after 79 years in business before local investors gave it a new lease on life". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on January 22, 2015.
After 79 years as a downtown landmark, the German restaurant had succumbed to a lackluster economy and the changing tastes of diners who no longer were attracted to the pig's knuckles and liver on its extensive Old World menu...Over the years, locals have shared the space with the famous, including John F. Kennedy, Liberace, and Andre the Giant, the late wrestler whose gastronomic feats are still recalled with wide-eyed wonder...Andre's prematch meal, Scherff said, would usually include two steins of beer, two bottles of fruit wine, and two or three full meals
- ^ Merzback, Scott (October 1, 2015). "Andy Yee and family to open restaurant at site of former Route 9 Diner". Daily Hampshire Gazette. Northampton, Mass. Archived from the original on August 16, 2019.
- ^ O'Connell, James (2017). "German Restaurants". Dining Out in Boston: A Culinary History. Hanover, N.H.: University Press of New England. p. 113. ISBN 9781611689938. OCLC 1012463579.
- ^ "GOURMET OCTOBER 2008 CLASSIC COOKING—THE RESTAURANT ISSUE; ON NEWSSTANDS SEPTEMBER 23, 2008". Gourmet. Archived from the original on January 9, 2009.
The Restaurant Guide: "Time's Tables" (page 77). Gourmet's editors spent the past year selecting 20 legendary American restaurants that have stood the test of time and still serve great food: Giardina's, Greenwood, MS; Manago Hotel, Captain Cook, HI; Bright Star, Bessemer, AL; Gaido's Seafood Restaurant, Galveston, TX; The "21" Club, New York City; Sammy's Ye Old Cider Mill, Mendham, NJ; Galatoire's, New Orleans; The Student Prince, Springfield, MA; Joe T. Garcia's Mexican Restaurant, Fort Worth; El Charro Café, Tucson; Locke-Ober, Boston; Joe's Stone Crab, Miami Beach; Hyeholde Restaurant, Coraopolis, PA; Gene & Georgetti, Chicago; Musso & Frank Grill, Hollywood; The Lexington, St. Paul; Lawry's The Prime Rib, Beverly Hills; Maneki, Seattle; The Oyster Bar, New York City; and Tadich Grill, San Francisco