In cities around the United States, hidden staircases, secret buzzers, and unmarked façades are standard fare. Past the door, revelers find purist cocktails—comprised of fresh fruit juices, house-infused liquors, homemade bitters, egg whites, and hand-chipped ice—made by well-versed bartenders sporting handlebar moustaches, cuffs and vests. The stage is set: it’s a cloak and dagger-like search for illegal booze… except now the booze is legal and the password is transmitted via SMS.
This is America’s infatuation with the Prohibition era, inarguably attributed to Sasha Petraske’s Milk & Honey, which opened nearly a decade ago and since, has become the zenith model for haunts like PDT, Death & Co., and Woodson & Ford. Cocktail integrity is the tenor of modern faux speakeasy but even so, many proprietors are now trying to dodge the gimmicky “speakeasy” categorization, because, like most things that start out smart and savvy, the concept has fallen prey to novices who know little about the history of the cocktail and nuances of timeless design. We’re confident though that the following five new speakeasies are bound to stick around.
Rye
Difficult to find, this restaurant-cum-speakeasy is located on a quiet street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, tucked away under an awning that says “Southside Speakeasy Lounge.” Housed in what was a run-down bodega, thoughtful details like room partitions crafted from salvaged doors, hard wood floors, distressed leather banquettes, a 21-foot reclaimed mahogany bar, antique brass light fixtures, and pressed tin ceiling maintain a lived-in look but in a formulaic pre-Prohibition style.
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Inside producer Kenny Beats' retro-inspired Los Angeles recording studioDrawing inspiration from the golden era of Motown recording studios of the 1960s and 1970s, Ben Willett’s design weaves in modern influences.
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Cicchetti Piccadilly is like dining inside a Venetian sunset. Here's what we ateSan Carlo Group’s beloved Italian haunt returns with a glowing new look, just steps from its original home
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'What does it mean that the language of photography is invented by men?' Justine Kurland explores the feminist potential of collage'The Rose,' at the Center for Photography at Woodstock (CPW) in Kingston, New York, examines the work of over 50 artists using collage as a feminist practice
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A local’s guide to AtlantaDrawn by the city’s diversity and queer community, life coach and writer Cator Sparks returned to Atlanta after 25 years away. He shares his favourite haunts
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Philadelphia’s ‘Grande Dame’ reopens with a dazzling French twistThe Bellevue Hotel has been restored to its former glory through a stylish renovation by design studio Ward + Gray
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Beloved sushi restaurant Sōgo Roll Bar comes to Highland ParkThe sushi hangout begins a new chapter in its second location, becoming the perfect spot for a quick grab-and-go or a relaxed tasting experience in east LA
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Wallpaper* checks into Gansevoort Meatpacking, an art-filled hotel that mirrors the district’s glow-upThis sharp, stylish New York hotel is a fixture in the Meatpacking District, a once-industrial neighbourhood reshaped by restaurants, bars and boutiques
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Los Angeles’ best bars for craft cocktails and A-list designFrom glamorous old Hollywood haunts to trend-setting neighbourhood hangouts, these hotspots serve excellent drinks in an atmosphere unlike anywhere else
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A local architect’s guide to Joshua TreeMirtilla Alliata di Montereale shares her favourite things to do to slow down, look closely, and discover Joshua Tree through a more intentional lens
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Meet artist Michael McGregor, using hotel stationery as his canvasMichael McGregor unveils an exclusive postcard set made with notepads from The Luxury Collection properties in Minneapolis, San Francisco and Savannah
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Home is where Beethoven Market is – a joyful Italian restaurant in LA’s Mar VistaIn Mar Vista, a historic space is reborn as a modern-day gathering spot, an Italian-infused restaurant where rotisserie chicken, handmade pasta and tableside tiramisu welcome you like family
