New York City’s Meatpacking District is undoubtedly one of the coolest areas in New York. This historic neighbourhood with its Belgian block (not cobblestone) paved streets and the High Line, the new and very popular urban outdoor space, has definitely had a resurgence. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. It has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1870 as not only an undesirable area to live, but the home of 250 slaughterhouses and meat processing plants. The 1929 addition of the High Line as an elevated train track and the “West Side Improvement Plan” made this area more of a spot to bypass than one you wanted to stay in.
A recent trip to New York had us staying in this very hip area, exploring the neighbourhood and walking the High Line. It was, however, a chance conversation with the Gansevoort hotel front desk that pointed us in a different direction. The question was asked of me, “Do you like speakeasies”? (Ummmm, heck yes!) “There is a hidden bar underneath the Chelsea Market, there is no name and there is only a sign that says “OPEN” . You will walk down some stairs, it looks super sketchy, but it’s okay and you will find yourself in the speakeasy”.
DING DING DING! Sign me up! So purely in the name of science and for TravelFoodCool, Pete and I set out to explore this secret neighbourhood bar, which we discovered has a name after all: The Tippler.
The bar, or as I should more correctly call it, tavern, has been around since about 2011. The tavern is a mix of materials – reclaimed beams from the High Line, reclaimed water tower wood, wrought iron and antique fixtures, exposed brick – which pay tribute to its working-class and industrial heritage. There are also books everywhere. They are used to hold bar menus on the tables, tucked behind glass panels and propping up a gargoyle at the entrance.
The bar menu has some interesting cocktails as well as booze-free drinks, wine, local beers and shots – the most famous being the “B!RTHD@Y SH*T” (no, we did not have this as it looked super sweet, consisting of Ketel One Citroen vodka, Hazelnut Liqueur, Baileys, and covered with whipped cream and sprinkles) – but we did see them float by served by the tray full.
We arrived shortly after the bar had opened, so it was a little quiet, but it did start to fill up. I’m betting that later on there are line-ups.
The cocktails are $15 (US). We started our the first round with the “thank u, next” made with white rum, dark plantation rum, Smith & Cross rum, banana, Green Chartreuse and lime. This was billed as a “a fancy banana daiquiri” and was great!
The second starting cocktail was “It Was All A Dream” which was made from Brooklyn gin, bianco vermouth, bergamot, coconut liqueur and passionfruit liqueur. The “strong, clean and tropical” drink has a slight Negroni feel to it, and I would have happily had a second!
The tavern serves snacks, so to accompany our second round of drinks, we ordered the “Cheddar & Scallion Dip” (served with Ritz Crackers) and the “Salted Soft Pretzel” served with both Dijon and Grainy mustard. (And yes, we would recommend dipping that buttery pretzel into the cheddar & scallion dip…don’t judge, it was delicious!)
Round two saw the “The Crown Juul” – “stirred and boozy, like a vanilla Old Fashioned” – which consisted of Elijah Craig bourbon, cognac, vanilla, Montenegro, Benedictine, absinthe and Angostura Orange bitters.
“Afternoon Delight” – “like a summer on the beach without the commute” – kept the coconut theme going as it was served tall over pebble ice and mixed with tequila, mezcal, absinthe, coconut, pineapple and Lime & Blue. While I liked it, I found this one a touch sweet.
I’m sure that the later you go, the louder the Tippler will be, as the room is fairly cavernous, and will probably be standing room only, but in the late afternoon hours, we could easily find a spot to sit.
If you are in the Meatpacking District and strolling around Chelsea Market, pop in for a cocktail and take a trip back to the area’s more industrial roots.
If you go:
Where: 425 W 15th St. New York, NY 10011; When: Sun-Thurs: 4PM – 1M; Fri-Sat: 4PM – 3AM; http://www.thetippler.com
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