Sometimes, all I really want is to walk down an unassuming staircase to find myself in a dimly lit cocktail den with newspaper menus and mason jars filled with various items.
That’s where Nitecap comes in.
Death + Company partners David Kaplan and Alex Day, along with Maison Premiere vet Natasha David, are the brains behind the late-night operation nestled beneath Schapiro’s on Rivington. It’s everything you’ve ever dreamed of, if your dreams consist of key lime fizzes and relatable musings littered amongst cocktail lists categorized by end result.
Take a moment to flip through the 22-page (no, really) menu until you come across something that strikes your fancy. Continue reading. Order food, conveniently available thanks to the trusty upstairs neighbor. Let’s go back to the Key Lime Fizz ($14), consisting of Tanqueray, cachaça, lemon juice, cream, key lime, egg white, and seltzer. Order that. If you’re craving something a bit less fizzy, or generally prefer to avoid cappuccino-esque foam mustaches, opt for slow sipper Last One Standing ($14) with Pierre Ferrand 1840 cognac, Hamilton Pot Still black rum, Amaro Cio Ciaro, Giffard Pêche de Vigne, and mint. It also sounds cool, so there’s that.
For a place with more drink possibilities than square feet and a team with more street cred than perhaps necessary, Nitecap is surprisingly low-key. It’s the perfect 1am weeknight haunt. That lighting is your new best friend.
