Fashionistas and finance bros finally have one thing in common. That is The Rag Trader and Bo Peep Cocktail & Highball Store, the latest concept by FOX Lifestyle Hospitality Group (Street Taco, CASK) in Midtown.
This new spot is a lively restaurant and subterranean piano cocktail bar inspired by the mid-20th century heyday of the Garment District, when the area boasted the highest concentration of garment manufacturers in the world.
The two-story space evokes the old garment factory (actually named Bo Peep), complemented with quirky details including mix-matched mannequins and dated Vogue issues.
Executive Chef Justin Ottervanger showcases the restaurant’s relationships with local farms and purveyors through a vast selection of raw bar options, snacks, authentic pizzas, and rustic yet refined plates ranging small to (really) large.
In addition to the careful selection of wine and beer, the cocktail menu – developed by Beverage Director Evan Hawkins – combines old favorites (reminiscent of the building’s humble beginnings) alongside newer craft creations like Tailored to Fit made with gin, bitter aperitif, rosé vermouth and grapefruit oil.
Descend into Bo Peep Cocktail & Highball Store. Once an intimate tailor’s fitting room, the classy cocktail and piano bar provides plush banquette seating, dimly lit lampshades and a tailor’s work table-turned-bar. The menu draws inspiration from the ‘40s and ‘50s, and consists of over thirty cocktails cut up into exciting and enticing categories like Sour Flips and Fun; and Stirred Boozy and Serious. The musical offerings range from nostalgic favorites to modern classics. Reservations are a must.
The Rag Trader details
70 W. 36th St, 917-261-5495, www.ragtradernyc.com, @ragtraderbopeepnyc
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