Delia Cabe’s “Storied Bars of New York”
A field guide to historic writerly watering holes and their signature cocktails
For some, a thrill crawls along the skin and up the spine when sitting down in a bar of historic importance. No regular drink shall be consumed, but one accompanied by the rarefied air shared with those who came before. Writers understand this wholeheartedly and as so many literary figures haunted establishments across the globe, the list of writerly establishments is long. Unsurprisingly, New York City happens to have a very high concentration of those famed and beloved watering holes and Delia Cabe’s new book “Storied Bars of New York: Where Literary Luminaries Go to Drink” happens to document them—and their signature drinks. From The Odeon to Chumley’s, highbrow to lowbrow, classic cocktails to beer, all remnants of the literary past that remain find a home in its pages. 50 photographs accompany descriptions of locations once inhabited by Ernest Hemingway, Dorothy Park, Truman Capote and more.
Two features take Cabe’s book to an even more thoughtful level. Cabe procures the recipe for each bar or tavern’s signature drink—helpful for those far from the Big Apple. Further, using quotes from the authors who frequented the venues, as well as magazine excerpts from their time of prominence, Cabe captures the cultural scene of times long since past. This is a book that will appeal to cocktail lovers, literary aficionados, New Yorkers, and anyone looking for a drinking spot with ghosts in its closet.
“Storied Bars of New York: Where Literary Luminaries Go to Drink” is available for pre-order online now for $16. It’s expected to ship 6 June.
Images by Cool Hunting
