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Free Upper West Side News, Delivered To Your Inbox<\/a><\/p>\n A sign has appeared in the window of a longtime Amsterdam Avenue cafe, and for many in the neighborhood, it marks the end of an era.<\/p>\n Edgar\u2019s Cafe, the gothic-themed neighborhood institution at 650 Amsterdam Avenue (between 91st and 92nd Streets), will serve its last cup of coffee on April 30 after nearly four decades in business. Owner Ben told ILTUWS the reason for the closing<\/a> is straightforward: he can no longer afford the rent. <\/p>\n \u201cTo our beloved customers & neighbors,\u201d reads a handwritten sign in the cafe\u2019s window. \u201cWith great sadness, we announce that we will be closing on April 30th after 38 wonderful years in the neighborhood.\u201d<\/p>\n The cafe\u2019s name and decor pay tribute to Edgar Allan Poe, who resided near West 84th Street<\/a> from March 1844 to August 1845, during which time he wrote \u201cThe Raven.\u201d The interior features gothic Italian-inspired design with high arched ceilings and dim lighting \u2014 an atmosphere that earned the spot a devoted following of locals over the years.<\/p>\n Edgar\u2019s actually has roots a few blocks south. The original location, at 255 West 84th Street, closed around 2011 \u2014 also reportedly because the owners could not afford the lease. The Amsterdam Avenue outpost, which had been open alongside the 84th Street location, became the sole surviving branch, and has remained a neighborhood fixture ever since.<\/p>\n The cafe has had its share of attention over the years. In 2021, ILTUWS visited Edgar\u2019s<\/a> after a New York Post<\/a> story compared Ben to the \u201cSoup Nazi,\u201d with allegations that he had banned customers for dining at competing restaurants nearby. Staff pushed back on the characterizations, and Ben attributed much of the tension to pandemic-era customers who would occupy tables for hours without ordering. Whatever one made of the controversy, few would argue the place lacked personality.<\/p>\n The cafe has also served as a film location over the years, with credits that include Sex and the City and Law & Order, and one TripAdvisor reviewer noted it was reportedly a favorite of Ben Stiller. <\/p>\n Edgar\u2019s final day is April 30.<\/p>\n