BOUGHT IN THE USA
Do you want to know what trends are setting the pace Stateside? From dive bars to wine bars, our man Naren Young picks five key trends from the land of the free
THE RISE OF THE RESTAURANT BAR
When I first moved to America a decade ago, one of the first bars that really struck a chord was the Gramercy Tavern, opened in 1994 and still arguably New York’s most famous restaurant. It wasn’t doing anything cutting edge or particularly extravagant, but what it did do and offered in terms of product and service was, and still is, unique. It was the first bar that made me realise that world-class drinks and a complete experience could be had in a restaurant bar.
The rise and rise of the restaurant bar has been one of the most exciting things to happen to the American bar scene (it has yet to catch on in many other parts of the world) in recent times, and its meteoric rise has been acknowledged at the annual Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards, where it now has a category all of its own.
Saxon + Parole (my then employer) won last year, and before that, two venues I deeply respect: New York’s Eleven Madison Park and The Slanted Door in San Francisco.
For the longest time, the restaurant bar was simply a holding pen; a place where you crowded around a tiny waiting area clutching your shaken Manhattan, Apple-tini, or glass of champagne. Now their beverage lists rival and better those of many of the more high-profile speakeasies mentioned earlier. They provide a more complete experience and can often develop more rounded and educated bartenders.
Some other great restaurant bars around the country: Bar Agricole (San Francisco), Bestia (Los Angeles), Betony (New York), Clyde Common (Portland), Eastern Standard (Boston), Oven and Shaker (Portland), Sepia (Chicago) and The Nomad (New York).
(ORIGINAL ARTICLE)
THE RESTAURANT BAR
