Bar of the Week: UNION FARE in Union Square

This week's "Bar of the Week" is Union Fare, an industrial-chic restaurant and bar spanning a full city block in the heart of Union Square. It's a perfect place to relax, refresh, and escape the summer heat.

The beverage program is helmed by Beverage Director Benjamin Wood and the Bar Manager/Wine Director, Cody Pruitt. They offer American-style classic drinks with interesting twists and global inspirations. There is an emphasis on freshly sourced, high quality ingredients.

The Bar at Union Fare, with the entrance at 6 East 18th Street, encompasses a 60 foot bar, service for 120 guests, and banquets to offer a more intimate bar experience. The Novel Room, with the entrance on 7 East 17th Street, is a subterranean cocktail lounge created as a nod to the building's previous tenant, Barnes & Noble. The Novel Room presents a menu of cocktails that have clever literary references.

Beverage program highlights include cocktails that use Union Fare's house-blended rum, homemade pineapple gomme syrup, horchata and banana chip syrup, and a grapefruit oleo with szechuan peppercorns. The mixology team has also experimented with some interesting techniques including a CO2 Brûléed finish and rehydrating dried chipotles with Kombu for added salinity and umami.

We visited early on a Thursday evening for a few artisanal cocktails at The Bar at Union Fare. We enjoyed the "Lucka the Nana," a creative blend of Irish whiskey, banana chip syrup, lemon, aquafaba and burnt angostura bitters. "The Sonadora" is a tantalizing combination of Del Maguey Vida Mezcal, chipotle Kombu Honey, Sal de Gusano and lemon. A specialty drink that is an ideal summer cooler is their "Frozen Negroni." We were also impressed with the selection of fine wines by the glass or bottle as well as a great selection of draft and bottled beers.

Stop by for drinks and stay for dinner. Union Fare is renowned for their contemporary American cuisine curated by Chef Yvan Lemoine. They offer dinner Monday through Saturday and brunch on Saturday and Sunday.

And read our "Master Mixologist" feature for Cody Pruit of Union Fare. /bwwfood-wine/article/Master-Mixologist-Cody-Pruitt-of-UNION-FARE-in-Union-Square-20170601.

You can follow Union Fare on Facebook and Instagram.

Union Fare is located at 61 East 18th Street, New York, NY 10003. Call them at 212.633.6003 and visit http://www.unionfare.com/.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Union Fare