Downtown is so overdone. Mix up your drinking game with some uptown flavor and check out the city’s next hot neighborhood—Harlem. The second renaissance is here, thanks to an outrageous real estate market pushing developers north of Central Park. Crime is down and the rent’s still cheap, so we suggest you find out how this spirited cultural center got its groove back before everyone else south of 110th Street catches on.
Nectar Wine Bar @ Harlem Vintage
2241 Frederick Douglass Blvd. (120th & 121st Sts.)
Harlem 212.961.9622
When Harlem Vintage opened in 2004 as the neighborhood’s first boutique wine store, it signaled a turn in Harlem’s economy. The recent opening of the store owners’ wine bar next door, Nectar, further celebrates the cultural shift. A rotating menu of seasonal cheeses, charcuterie, and chocolates selected by Martin Johnson of the Joy of Cheese will complement the vino, beer, and sake offerings.
MoBay
17 W.125th St. (5th & Lenox Aves.)
Harlem 212.876.9300
Caribbean soul food treats like jerk chicken and oxtail stew are dished out here to a loyal clientele, and the offerings at the glowing red bar are just as tasty. Try the smoky Harlem mojito, substituting cognac for rum. Feel transported to island time in this sand-colored space while reggae, jazz, and R&B bands provide the soundtrack to your imaginary vacation. You’ll want to book your ticket to the real MoBay—Montego Bay, Jamaica—after unwinding here.
Dinosaur Bar-b-que
646 W. 131st St. (Riverside Dr. & Broadway)
Upper West Side 212.694.1777
It’s always packed at this country BBQ haven a block from the legendary Cotton Club, and for good reason—the sauces here alone make any hunk of meat worth devouring. Be sure to leave some room for one of Dinosaur’s cocktails or 50 beers to choose from because racks of ribs aren’t the only things getting you sloppy here. If you want a quick trip to buzzed city, try the Dino Demise: vodka, rum, tequila, 151, triple sec, and splashes of cranberry, orange, and pineapple juice.
Hudson River Café
697 W. 133rd St. (@ 12th Ave.)
Harlem 212.491.9111
Come summertime, the living is easy at this waterfront restaurant with a huge outdoor dining patio. A mix of locals and tourists flock here for the sweeping views of the river, and for visitors, brunch here is a great way to begin a trek into the neighborhood. Wash down a selection from the raw bar with a Cucumber on the Hudson—Hendricks’s Gin, white cranberry juice, and English cucumber.
Society Coffee
2104 Frederick Douglass Blvd. (@ 114th St.)
Harlem 212.222.3323
At night, this cozy coffee shop is a destination for drinking wine, delivered from nearby Harlem Vintage, and casual board game playing. A mixed crowd of fashionably hip locals and Columbia students gather around communal tables or in clusters on comfy sofas. Sandwiches, salads, Belgian waffles, and other small plates are served in addition to the expected coffee-friendly desserts, and sangria, mimosas, and local beers round out the drinks menu. Bring a date here for romantic ambience, but don’t be surprised if you end up making new friends as well—this is definitely an “open” society.
~ Selena Ricks
