Ode to Babel

Bed-Stuy-raised twins Marva and Myriam Babel always knew they wanted to return to their childhood stomping grounds to open a neighborhood space. The resulting concept is a hybrid “lifestyle” bar slinging espresso, cocktails and small bites, while also peddling products from area artisans, including hard-to-come-by magazines, locally crafted candles and paintings by artists like Bushwick-based Sonomi Kobayashi. From a walnut-and-brass-topped counter, the sisters’ nephew Kenneth Crum shakes up cocktails like Good Karma (vodka, strawberry and ginger shrub) and OG (black-tea-infused bourbon, honey), while bar fare ranges from charcuterie platters to jerk-curried salmon. The airy 34-seat room takes cues from Brooklyn lofts, minimally decorated with raw concrete floors, exposed brick and two long glass tables at the center.