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SoHo institution The Dutch has spent the last 15 years proving that a great neighborhood restaurant never really goes out of style. Now it's adding a tiny new reason to squeeze in a reservation: a nine-seat Martini bar tucked into the front of the restaurant, reimagining the space that once housed its original oyster bar.
But rather than simply adding a few cocktails to the menu, the new spot is dedicated entirely to the art (and ritual) of ordering a Martini. Guests at the counter receive an interactive menu that lets them customize nearly every detail of their drink, from vodka or gin to how wet (or bone dry) they want it, plus garnish choices including olives, pickles or a twist. The menu even includes a rotating daily special, handwritten by the server. (Recent creations include a seasonal ramp Martini.)
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Of course, there are plenty of drinks that require no decision-making whatsoever: the headliner is NoHo Hospitality beverage director Darryl Chan's Dirty Snow Cone Martini, a gloriously over-the-top concoction that's shaved from a block of frozen martini ice for each order before being served "cold and filthy."
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It's joined by several house signatures, including the herbaceous Freezer Door (vodka, Citral and basil E.D.V.), the Black & Blue with salt-and-pepper gin and Maytag olives, and an Espresso Martini that's cheekily "served twice" with an extra pour on the side. For anyone who would rather sample than commit, there's also a flight of three teeny 'tinis featuring playful mini cocktails like the Goldie Gibson, Hudson Sea Breeze, Dill Turf Club and Montauk Pearl.
As for food, Chef Andrew Carmellini has created an off-menu Hot Beef Sando that's available exclusively at the Martini bar—and in keeping with the intimate setup, just nine are made each night. That kind of scarcity feels very on-brand for The Dutch, which has never had much trouble filling seats.
When The Dutch first opened, we praised Carmellini's effortlessly eclectic American cooking and called it one of SoHo's hardest tables to book, thanks to a menu that somehow made everything from fried chicken to rabbit potpie feel right at home. Fifteen years later, the restaurant is proving it still knows how to keep regulars coming back—this time with ice-cold martinis, tiny cocktails and one very limited hot sandwich.