Dante West Village - Review - West Village - New York - The Infatuation

"It’s a Tuesday night, you’re in a candleit room where the odd Prada briefcase rests against a velvet banquette, and everyone around you is about to dive into a second martini. You’re not at a club. Technically, it's not even a bar. The place you’ve found yourself is Dante West Village. Like the original on MacDougal, Dante West Village is a restaurant/cocktail bar hybrid with an otherworldly knack for making people want gin. Lacking the historical cachet of its sister establishment (which opened in 1915), it’s less of a tourist destination and more of a local scene, full of dates and small groups of friends. There’s a crowd every night, but not for the food. Here, cocktails are king. photo credit: Giada Paoloni photo credit: Giada Paoloni photo credit: Giada Paoloni Pause Unmute There are over 50 house cocktails to choose from, but Dante has become synonymous with the Negroni, so that’s a where to start. The house variety has a moderate amount of gin and an assertive bitter profile. Next, move on to the cloudy, hay-infused Sazerac, a crisp Hugo spritz, or the signature Garibaldi topped with fluffy, fresh-squeezed orange juice. The bar is saved for walk-ins, and it’s easy to pop in for a drink, but if you want to sit in the dining room, there are a few things to keep in mind: Tables are hard to come by, so you’ll need to book at least a week in advance—and you’ll have to order food. That’s a house rule. So order some burrata for the table, or, if you’re especially hungry, try the wood-fired chicken with a fluffy green goddess dressing. Both get the job done, and they’ll help you tackle that second martini. Food Rundown Negroni An essential order. Dante keeps their Negroni on tap, and it has a light, almost rosé color. You’d think that would mean less Campari and more gin, but no. The cocktail doesn’t seem especially boozy, although it does have a powerfully bitter finish. photo credit: Giada Paoloni Dante's Burrata Looking for a snack? Burrata is the answer. Dante’s version comes with a few candy-sweet preserved tomatoes on the side. Dante's Signature Burger Served on a dense brioche bun, Dante’s thick-patty burger is topped with bacon, chipotle mayo, and a slab of pickled beet. It’s solid, but very messy, and we do have to deduct a few points for the lack of fries." - Bryan Kim