{{short description|Restaurant In London, England}} {{for|the operetta|The Gay Hussars}} {{Use British English|date=June 2018}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}} {{Infobox restaurant | name = The Gay Hussar | logo = | logo_width = | logo_alt = | image = File:Gay Hussar restaurant - November 2013.jpg | image_width = | image_alt = | image_caption = The Gay Hussar in 2013 | slogan = | established = 1953 | closed = 2018 | current_owner = | head_chef = | food_type = Hungarian cuisine | dress_code = | rating = | street_address = 2 Greek Street | city = London | county = | state = | postcode = W1D 4NB | country = United Kingdom | coordinates = {{coord|51.5149|-0.1313|type:landmark_region:GB-WSM}} | seating_capacity = | reservations = | other_locations = | other_information = | website = }}
'''The Gay Hussar''' was a celebrated Hungarian restaurant located at 2 Greek Street, Soho, central London, England. It was established in 1953 and closed in 2018.
== History == Victor Sassie<ref name="gayhussar.co.uk">{{Cite web |url=http://www.gayhussar.co.uk/GHHistory.pdf |title=Victor Sassie, Restaurateur 1915–1999 / The Gay Hussar, 1953–Present |access-date=30 November 2008 |archive-date=3 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081203030042/http://www.gayhussar.co.uk/GHHistory.pdf |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref> was the founder of The Gay Hussar restaurant in 1953.<ref>{{cite book |last1=McNay |first1=Michael |author-link=Michael McNay|title=Hidden Treasures of London |date=2015 |publisher=Random House |isbn=978-1847946171 |pages=144–145 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U93eCgAAQBAJ&q=%22Gay+Hussar%22&pg=PA144 |accessdate=14 November 2019}}</ref><ref name="Last orders">{{cite web |last1=Smithers |first1=Rebecca |title=Last orders at the Gay Hussar – the left's hotbed of plots, gossip and goulash |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/may/26/gay-hussar-soho-to-shut-soho-labour-lunches-plots-gossip |website=The Guardian |accessdate=14 November 2019 |date=26 May 2018}}</ref> Sassie was sent to Budapest in Hungary by the British Hotel and Restaurant Association when he was 17. He served his apprenticeship at the Gundel restaurant in Budapest. On his return to London in 1940, he established first the Budapest restaurant and then The Gay Hussar, which was to become popular with left-wing politicians.<ref name="Last orders"/><ref>Farson, Daniel, ''Soho in the Fifties''.</ref> Diners included T. S. Eliot, Mortimer Wheeler, Aneurin Bevan, Barbara Castle, Ian Mikardo and Michael Foot.<ref name="gayhussar.co.uk"/>
The restaurant was named in honour of the elite Hussars of the Hungarian army.<ref name="gayhussar.co.uk"/> The name is also associated with the name of a popular Hungarian operetta, ''The Gay Hussars'', by Emmerich Kálmán.
In October 2013, it was made known that owners Corus Hotels would put the Gay Hussar up for sale.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/steerpike/2013/10/boom-turns-to-bust-for-gay-hussar/ |title=Boom turns to bust for Gay Hussar – Coffee House |date=25 October 2013 |author=Steerpike |accessdate=14 November 2019 |website=The Spectator |archive-date=15 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150515115312/http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/steerpike/2013/10/boom-turns-to-bust-for-gay-hussar/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Meikle |first1=James |title=Gay Hussar – the left's London canteen – goes up for sale |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/oct/25/gay-hussar-soho-restaurant-for-sale |newspaper=The Guardian |accessdate=14 November 2019 |date=25 October 2013}}</ref> A group of journalists, politicians and lawyers formed the "Goulash Co-operative Ltd" to raise money to secure the eight-year lease,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/goulash-co-operative-in-last-ditch-bid-to-save-sohos-gay-hussar-hungarian-restaurant-8977812.html |title='Goulash co-operative' in last ditch bid to save Soho's Gay Hussar |first=Robin |last=de Peyer |date=2 December 2013 |accessdate=14 November 2019 |website=Evening Standard}}</ref><ref name="Rowley">{{cite web |last1=Rowley |first1=Tom |title=Can the conservatives save the Gay Hussar, Labour's canteen? |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/restaurants/10508426/Can-the-conservatives-save-the-Gay-Hussar-Labours-canteen.html |website=The Telegraph |accessdate=14 November 2019 |date=10 December 2013}}</ref> but its bid was rejected by Corus.<ref name="NYT">{{cite web |last1=Castle |first1=Stephen |title=Gay Hussar, an Iconic Restaurant in London, Is for Sale (Don't Mind the Food) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/25/world/europe/gay-hussar-an-iconic-restaurant-in-london-is-for-sale-dont-mind-the-food.html |website=The New York Times |accessdate=14 November 2019 |date=24 February 2015}}</ref> The restaurant closed in June 2018.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Prynn |first1=Jonathan |title=The legendary Gay Hussar finally closes its doors for the last time|date=21 June 2018 |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/go/london/restaurants/goodbye-gay-hussar-soho-restaurant-popular-with-labour-leaders-closes-its-doors-a3868451.html |accessdate=5 July 2018 |newspaper=Evening Standard}}</ref>
In 2020, a restaurant called Noble Rot Soho opened on the site.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hayward|first=Tim|date=10 October 2020|title=The legendary Gay Hussar restaurant gets a makeover|url=https://www.ft.com/content/89b45325-def4-4a4a-9ebf-793697487081|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=The Financial Times}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist|30em}}
== External links == {{Portal|Food}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20100208215904/http://www.gayhussar.co.uk/index.asp The Gay Hussar website]
{{Restaurants in London}} {{coord|51.5149|-0.1313|type:landmark_region:GB-WSM|display=title}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gay Hussar, The}} Category:1953 establishments in England Category:2018 disestablishments in England Category:Buildings and structures in the City of Westminster Category:Defunct European restaurants in London Category:Greek Street Category:Hungarian restaurants Category:Restaurants disestablished in 2018 Category:Restaurants established in 1953 Category:Soho, London