You’ve been wandering in and out of splashy art galleries and designer stores all day, and even trekked the entire strip of the High Line, haven’t you? Now you’re in dire need of a drink. Luckily, the neighborhood is rife with all kinds of bars, from hidden speakeasies to wine bars galore. These are the best bars in Chelsea, New York to recuperate with a glass (or three) of wine, some shareable snacks and larger plates to line your rumbling stomach, and cozy chairs you’ll never want to leave.
Sometimes you simply need uncomplicated, unfussy and straightforward. That’s Bar Veloce. The wine bar has several locations across the city (and even one in JFK) to suit all your wine-bar needs. Let the knowledgeable bartenders direct you to a glass of red or white or rosé, and then settle down at one of the many bar stools with a panini in hand (try the truffled cheese melt, a blend of five cheeses and white truffle oil).
From the same team behind Bathtub Gin, The 18th Room is another speakeasy housed behind a fake coffee shop. Named after the 18th Amendment that started Prohibition, the dark Art Deco-inspired speakeasy is outfitted with green leather banquettes and bartenders prone to craft bespoke cocktails based on your preferred liquors and flavors. Although the off-the-cuff cocktails are perpetually exciting and fun, narrow down the infinite choices by ordering a drink off the set menu.
It’s all about American spirits at Rye House – from bourbons and ryes to vodkas, gins and rums, all distilled in the United States. Have them neat or on the rocks, or opt for a cocktail like Her Red Lipstick (Brooklyn vodka, lime, ginger, hibiscus, housemade habanero and mint). The tavern-style spot is flanked by a bar with stools on one side and small tables on the other, where you can sit, sip on a flight of spirits, and line your stomach with deep-fried Wisconsin cheddar curds and duck quesadillas.