Edison Cafe Loses Its Host

Sad News. Harry Edelstein, longtime proprietor of the theatre district coffee shop and hangout, the Edison Cafe, has died at 91.

He and his wife Frances opened the diner in 1980 and it quickly became the favored chowhouse of people like August Wilson and Neil Simon, not to mention plenty of poor young actors. He was a gracious, jolly, no-frills host who served up a mean bowl of matzo ball soup.

He wife Frances remains, as does his son-in-law, Conrad Stahl, who has done the heavy lifting at the cafe for many years. So the tradition will continue. But sad to see him go. He served the theatre community and the City well.