Acclaimed Bar The Aviary's Coming To NYC
Expect drinks inspired by the city's boozy history
New York City has no shortage of standout cocktail bars, but this summer, it will add a major player to its roster. Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas, the chaps behind Chicago fine dining pioneer Alinea, are bringing an outpost of their innovative cocktail bar, The Aviary, to the Mandarin Oriental at Columbus Circle.
Achatz announced the news this morning in an Instagram video. Plans for the project have apparently been in the works for three years.
The pair describes the original as a place "where cocktails and service are given the same attention to detail as a four-star restaurant; where bartenders are trained as chefs." It's overseen by master bartender Micah Melton, who will also helm the bar. Though there's no word yet on which drinks will make the list, some will be inspired by New York's cocktail history. The project will also be "slightly more buttoned up than Chicago," Kokonas tells Eater.
Given the location, the 35th floor of the Time Warner Center, just a few blocks south of Lincoln Center, that seems fitting, as does news of The Office, an exclusive speakeasy from the same team, which will occupy part of the bar space.