Better Late Than Never
The Late Late
159 E. Houston St.
New York, NY 10002
(917) 724-3765
www.thelatelate.com
When you're thirsty in this heat, you're pretty gosh-darn thirsty. So, let's make sure you stay properly hydrated by introducing you to The Late Late Bar & Spirit Grocer, a new Irish-inspired drinkery on the Lower East Side.
Make no mistake; this is not the stereotypical Irish pub. Yes, there are plaid-covered benches, a nook filled with Irish groceries, and portraits of someone's Irish relatives on the walls, but these authentic-feeling details help create a more contemporary, slightly idiosyncratic overall décor that brings to mind a 60s-era Irish home.
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Think flower-printed wallpaper, Virgin Mary statues, antique lampshades of the shag variety, and vintage black-and-white TVs, one of which broadcasts a live feed from a pub in a fishing town off the Western coast of Ireland. Of course, Irish homes in the 60s didn't normally have a high-tech DJ booth in the corner pumping out a soundtrack curated by Florence & The Machine lead guitarist Rob Ackroyd.
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But you're thirsty, we get it. We recommend ordering something involving Guinness, maybe spiking it with Jameson or topping it off with a spring of mint and some crème de menthe, and serving in an ice-filled crystal goblet?
Along with this Guinness 2.0 menu, you'll find more than 50 Irish whiskeys, craft brews like Bells Two-Hearted IPA and Allagash Curieux, and cocktails like the whiskey-and-cider-based LES Bad Apple, the Oaxaca Old-Fashioned (tequila, chocolate bitters, and mezcal), and the dessert-like Three Sheets (Jameson Black Barrel, Crème de Cacao, cream and chocolate shavings).
The latest thing is looking pretty good right now.
By Arielle Sachar