This hidden subterranean bar offers progressive cocktails that draw on culinary influences and are presented in interesting ways. Thyme Bar, located in a pre-war cellar below Chanson New York, is accessed via a mysteriously-lit staircase, leading to a cosy space with luxurious interiors.

Taking inspiration from classic speakeasies, and evoking no small amount of nostalgia, there’s comfortable upholstered seating, a striking brick ceiling, and antique lighting providing soft light. But while its appearance might hark back to a former era, the cocktails are distinctly forward-looking, making full use of a dedicated lab filled with high-tech gadgets, and benefiting from close collaboration between chefs and bartenders. There’s even a temperature-controlled chocolate-tempering room that’s also used for fermentation.

There’s an emphasis on local products, including spirits, and some produce is sourced from a farmer’s market in local Union Square. Other ingredients come from the kitchen, helping to reduce waste across the venue.

The resulting drinks are presented in suitably theatrical-style in an array of unusual vessels, with billows of dry-ice smoke, and adorned with chef-created garnishes, such as a hand-rolled date and pistachio cigar.

The drinks are certainly noteworthy, but so is the commitment here to creating a team that’s just as diverse as the city where it’s located – so much so that the current cocktail menu is dedicated to the people that work there. Each member of the bar team, and some of the kitchen team too, were each tasked with creating a cocktail reflecting their unique selves. The resulting menu, entitled ‘Identity’, gives the name of the staff member alongside each cocktail.

In creating these drinks, and others, the team has access to the lab with all of its equipment and ingredients, particularly on Mondays when the bar is closed, and can book one-on-one sessions with the bar’s general manager and creative director, to further develop their skills. 

Creating a team with a sense of community is a top priority at Thyme, with staff meals before every shift, and group activities – not all of which are beverage-industry related. All staff members get two consecutive days off every week, to ensure work-life balance, and bar staff are provided with uniforms. For breaks, as well as a space to work on creative projects, the lab provides a quiet area, and staff also have access to the dining area upstairs, which is closed during service. Another perk is access to various caffeinated drinks from a full barista bar.

Neurodivergent team members are given specific support to not only help them thrive, but contribute their specific perspectives and talents. Members of staff with particular interests are supported and encouraged to research further, and share their discoveries with the rest of the team.

This inclusive approach extends to the bar, and to the cocktail offering too. One non-alcoholic option on the current list features a QR code that leads to a playlist created by one of the bar staff members. The drink itself is presented inside a disco ball hung from a hook above the guest’s table, and is poured over ice that’s stamped with the bar’s logo.