Photos: Inside Newly Renovated Davis Theater & Carbon Arc Restaurant

By Anthony Todd in Food on Dec 12, 2016 9:36PM

We have been eagerly awaiting the return of the Davis Theater in Lincoln Square ever since it closed for extensive renovations earlier this year. The 98-year-old theater was carefully restored at a cost of $5 million, with many of its historic features getting brightened up and new projection systems added. A new restaurant, occupying the former location of La Bocca Della Veritas, was announced. Then we waited, and watched the paper-covered windows with anticipation. Now, the Davis is finally coming back to life with a grand opening on Thursday, Dec. 15.

We caught a glimpse of some activity in the theater this weekend, and it looked like the new restaurant, Carbon Arc, was already doing a soft opening. The new restaurant space definitely caught our attention, as it is pretty different from the previous occupant. A portion of the old dining room has been converted into a much larger kitchen, and a full bar now stretches the length of the restaurant. Chef Gilbert Langlois, who worked at Chalkboard down the street before it closed, is running the kitchen at Carbon Arc.

The complete menu is below, but it's thoughtfully broken up into dishes good for bringing into the theater (oh yeah, that's a thing now, with special trays to fit the seats) and larger plates. OK, so it's a tiny bit generic at first glance (tacos, flatbreads, salads, fairly standard fare) but it wouldn't be hard to beat most movie theater restaurants. We'll reserve judgement until we visit. Plus, the drink menu (also below) has a good selection of classic cocktails and an extensive beer list; a welcome addition to a neighborhood that often boasts long lines for its restaurants and bars.

The theater itself now has three screens, instead of four, and they uncovered pieces of the original pipe organ during the restoration. Anyone who remembers how shabby the old spot got (especially the restrooms, yikes!) will be pleasantly surprised, at least from the glimpses we got of the new interior.

The Davis will be opening on Dec. 15 and playing Rogue One as its first movie. Even if you're not a Lincoln Square resident, it'll be worth a visit to this newly freshened up neighborhood theater.

Carbon Arc Food Menu by artodd1 on Scribd

Carbon Arc Drink Menu by artodd1 on Scribd