8 Bars in Manhattan that you need to add to your to-do list now
I have a tic. Whenever I walk past a restaurant or bar that looks ‘cute’, I mark it on my Google Maps. Remember for later because I think I should go there once. New York has so many nice spots that I can no longer see the map through the yellow and green dots. I know I would need multiple lifetimes to try them all, but I have made it my mission to cross off as many as possible from our endless to-do list together with my roommate. Some of my favorite bars often don't appear on other lists. A shame, I think, because everyone should have a drink here. So I want to share a few of my favorite bars with you.
Tompkins Square Bar (East Village)
The bar next to TSB had been on my list for about two years, but TSB itself never really caught my eye. Until a few months ago, when their chalkboard caught my attention: ‘Best Burgers in NYC.’ Okay, you got me. I am grateful to my ever-hungry self because this is what I call the perfect bar. Chic but not pretentious, and hip but not painted from floor to ceiling in ‘millennial pink.’ It has large windows AND they have a mini street terrace – an absolute rarity in Manhattan. The cocktails are named after famous writers, such as Harper Lee and Charles Dickens, and the burger is good (to be honest, not the best).
110 Avenue A
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Gottino (Greenwich Village)
If you're in the mood for a good glass of wine (and let's be honest, when are we not?!), Gottino is the place to be. The super friendly staff ensures that you don't just get a good glass of wine, but the perfect glass. And if you get a craving for a snack after your wine, lucky you, because they have the most delicious crostinis. The best part about this bar is the small indoor garden. If you take a good sip and look up through your lashes while ignoring the sound of sirens in the background, you might think you're no longer in the big city.
52 Greenwich Avenue
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Entwine (Greenwich Village)
Wine bars with gardens seem to be my thing because I have another one on my favorites list. Entwine feels very homey and cozy. In the front room, you find the bar, in the back room a fireplace and a mix of tables and chairs, and in the small garden, colored lights hang that create an incredibly cozy atmosphere. It could very well be that the entire interior was bought at a flea market in Paris: everything feels antique, but in a non-dusty way.
765 Washington Street
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Lois (East Village)
We all know draft beer, but wine on tap was a new concept for me. Sounded like a must-try, and it did not disappoint. Lois is a beautiful, intimate bar with a hip look. Really, it feels a bit like you're a model in a vtwonen shoot. The bar staff lets you taste a few wines before you make a choice. Fun fact, they don't accept tips here. Tipping is such a thing in NYC, but here they have already included it in the prices. We like that.
98 Avenue C
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The Flower Shop (Lower East Side)
I think The Flower Shop was one of the best surprises during our New York discovery tour. This seventies-style place consists of two floors: a restaurant on the ground floor and a bar in the basement. With a pool table, carpet on the walls, lots of flowers, gray-beige furniture, a brick fireplace, and a sunken seating area, you are almost surprised that your modern smartphone just works.
107 Eldridge Street
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Apothéke (Chinatown)
Somewhere in Chinatown, you will find a crooked alley with colorful painted asphalt. In the middle of the bend, a modest door has a sign that says ‘Chemist’ above it. Behind this door is Apothéke, a cocktail bar with a subtle (you guessed it) pharmacist theme. The wall behind the bar resembles an old-fashioned apothecary cabinet where antique medicine bottles are neatly lined up. Each cocktail is more extravagant than the other.
9 Doyers Street
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B Bar & Grill (NoHo)
Anyone who comes to visit me knows one thing for sure: we are going to B Bar for an evening. This restaurant is versatile. During the summer, their walled terrace is open, and in winter they have a greenhouse with a fireplace. The restaurant area is a sort of modern variant of the traditional American diner. In summer, they sell tacos through a window and have an outdoor covered cocktail bar. In winter, you can sip your drink at the oval bar inside.
40 East 4th Street
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Dudley’s (Lower East Side)
I immediately thought of Harry Potter's cousin Dudley Dursley (his English name is Dudley, hence), but the bar is much cozier and prettier than its fictional namesake. The light blue exterior walls are inviting, and the bar is so beautifully crafted that it is a design object in itself.
85 Orchard Street
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Written by: Anna van der Heijden
