Elaine's, an Upper East Side institution, is shutting its doors.

The eatery known to be a favorite among mayors, celebrities and other notables will close for good on May 26, according to longtime manager Diane Becker, who inherited the restaurant from Elaine Kaufman, the larger-than-life proprietor, when she died in December.

"The truth is there is no Elaine's without Elaine," Becker said.

Kaufman often let writers eat for free. Among them were Kurt Vonnegut, Norman Mailer, George Plimpton and Gay Talese.

With the Associated Press