The Theatres at Canal Place opened its doors for the first time Wednesday evening for the midnight premiere of the film “Sex and the City 2,” debuting an elegant space for people seeking dinner and a movie in one place.

The theater replaces the 21-year-old Canal Place Cinema, which for years had showed independent and foreign films, but closed Sept. 7. The new owner, George Soloman, oversaw a multimillion-dollar renovation, including a restaurant and seating area.

Now, the Theatres at Canal Place offers everything from a full-service bar, reserved theater seating and the Gusto Cafe, which serves Mediterranean-style dishes by well known chef Adolfo Garcia.

The five auditoriums have spacious aisles and high-backed, red leather seats with connecting swivel trays.

“Everything is digital,” said manager Brian Jones.

The Gusto Cafe and menu reinforces Solomon’s emphasis on modern comfort. Garcia said Soloman was smart enough to know he could not carry out his vision alone, so he hired the experienced chef.

Garcia, who also owns three restaurants in New Orleans — Spanish seafood restaurant RioMar, La Boca steakhouse and Mano, a traditional Italian restaurant — hired the wait staff and developed a full drinks and food menu.

That menu includes dishes likes hummus-and-tzatziki pairings, freshly prepared paninis with ciabatta bread, ham and mozzarella, as well as flatbread pizzas with artichokes and goat cheese.

“I love cooking. I love the restaurant business,” Garcia said.

Theater manager Brian Jones said the theater’s décor was inspired by 1930s-era Art Deco.

Ernesto Sigmon, who came to the theater Thursday, called it “sleek and sexy.”

“I feel like I’m in somebody’s house, someone who has a lot of money,” Sigmon said.

Sigmon and his companion, Lindsey Coat, had never visited the theater when it was still the Canal Place Cinema. They said The Theaters at Canal Place was a chic alternative to a traditional movie theater. Coat liked the spacious seating that allowed her to stretch her legs, given her tall stature.

Theatres at Canal Place is still undergoing small renovations, including the addition of a wall near the digital control room, said Ron Copeland, who is training the wait staff and bartenders.

This post was updated June 21.

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