A veteran hospitality group is developing an exciting new restaurant and cocktail bar for Chelsea.
Cask Bar & Kitchen is a popular bar and restaurant known for serving up a wide array of premium whiskey and bourbon-based cocktails. The restaurant was established by founder Elaine Marlow in 2009 and continues to operate successfully today in Murray Hill. Celebrated for their dedication to craftsmanship and authenticity, Cask Bar & Kitchen is known in the neighborhood as the go-to spot for dimly-lit encounters, great conversations, and expert service from a team of the city’s best-informed barkeeps.
Now, it appears that Elaine and her team are gearing up to debut a brand-new restaurant concept for Chelsea. The concept, which has yet to be officially titled, is envisioned by Elaine as “a place for an intimate cocktail, date night, or birthday drinks with friends”, according to her recent liquor license application submitted to Community Board 4. Offering lunch, brunch, dinner, and late-night snacks, the new restaurant endeavors to be a place where “the neighborhood locals can together and feel at home.” Currently, the restaurant is expected to open up at 184 8th Avenue, in the space that was formerly occupied by Bareburger. According to current estimates, the new restaurant is expected to seat about 56 guests.
For the menu, Elaine is passionately committed to offering the freshest ingredients possible and intends to present “a seasonal menu that is sourced using local purveyors where possible and small independent businesses. Elaine has tapped Olmstead’s acclaimed John Miller to serve as Head Chef, and he will be working in parallel with Beverage Director Ciara Whelan to “curate a seasonal food and beverage menu” that will take the customer “on a journey around the world to explore and experiment with spirits and flavors”. Elaine and her team are dedicated to giving back to the community that supports them, and in turn, they hope to offer “the freshest, brightest, most flavorful innovative small plates we can reimagine”.
Elaine has also outlined her vision for the new restaurant’s aesthetic, which she describes as “Colorful but minimalist. Cozy but airy.” In order to create a more immersive food and beverage experience, the restaurant will feature expressive artwork and dim lining while guests can socialize in plush booths and intimate corners, enjoying soft music and a warm ambiance.
Elaine and her team are currently getting ready to meet with the community board to acquire a full liquor license for the space. They are proposing operating hours of 12:00 PM – 4:00 AM every day, seven days a week. For reference, Cask Bar & Kitchen has been operating for years with a 4:00 AM closure without complaint, and the team has gone to great lengths to ensure that their newest restaurant will be a boon to the neighborhood. While further details on the new restaurant are still forthcoming, you can follow Cask Bar & Kitchen on Instagram for regular updates.
