The Whitney Museum just announced a big fall opening, but it's not another Warhol or Rothko exhibition. It's a Danny Meyer restaurant.

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The Whitney Museum of American Art in New York will open a Danny Meyer restaurant in the fall.



The celebrity restaurateur's company, Union Square Hospitality Group, runs several of New York's biggest name restaurants, including Tabla, Union Square Café and Eleven Madison Park. The company is also known for its cheaper Shake Shack mini-chain, a burger-and-fries joint that now has an outpost at the new Met's Citi Field stadium in Queens.

It won't be the company's first foray into the art world. The Museum of Modern Art already has two Meyer cafes and a fine dining restaurant. The Modern serves an $88 three-course prix fixe dinner with options like "Foie Gras Terrine" or a $125 chef's tasting menu that includes "Maine Lobster 'Cappuccino.'"

The Whitney's current restaurant, Sarabeth's has been at the museum for almost 20 years and is known for its baked goods and homemade berry preserves. It will close on Jan. 17, the same day the museum's big Georgia O'Keeffe exhibition ends.

In February, an interim "pop-up" cafe will open to feed museum-goers until the full version of the yet-to-be-named Meyer restaurant opens in the fall. (The Whitney Biennial, which usually draws a big crowd, opens Feb. 25.)

A spokesman for the Whitney said the restaurant change is being made because Sarabeth's doesn't provide large-scale event catering. For openings, fundraisers and parties, outside companies had to be contracted to provide food. Sarabeth's at the Whitney serves just lunch and brunch. (Pancakes and eggs can be ordered all day.) No word yet on what will be on the Meyer restaurant's menu -- or whether it will serve dinner.

Write to Candace Jackson at candace. jackson@wsj.com