Fraunces Tavern and the Rum House aren’t only old-timers getting facelifts. The most anticipated rebirth, Gabriel Stulman’s Fedora, opens tonight. As you know, the Mayor of Little Wisco added the onetime speakeasy to his rapidly expanding portfolio (Joseph Leonard, Jeffrey’s Grocery) after its beloved owner Fedora Dorato retired at the age of 89. He’s brought Joseph Leonard bartender Brian Bartels over to be a partner and GM, and to create seasonal cocktails including an old-fashioned with house pecan bitters and maple syrup. The 1917 bar has been expanded and the original floorboards remain, but as you can see in our slideshow, the semi-subterranean space has been substantially brightened up with white ceiling tiles, leather banquettes, and fine art. To make sure the food doesn’t play second fiddle to the cocktails (as happened at a certain other underground West Village throwback spot), Stulman snagged chef Mehdi Brunet-Benkritly from Montreal’s cult favorite Au Pied du Cochon. Check out Brunet-Benkritly’s menu below and tour Fedora 2.0 via our slideshow.
Fedora menu [pdf]
Fedora, 239 W. 4th St., nr. Charles St.; 646-449-9336
