Merchant's Gate Comfort Station

Merchants’ Gate at Turnstyle Opens in Columbus Circle’s Subway Station | Eater NY

"Tucked beneath Columbus Circle inside the Turnstyle Underground Market at Eighth Avenue and 57th Street, I checked out a new glass-lined underground bar that may be the only place to grab a cocktail in a New York City subway station. Opened last week by Dieter Seelig, Joshua Friedman, and Brian Stapleton, the space features a long bar, plenty of seating, subway tiles lining the walls and ceiling, and a subway-like sign displaying its name. The menu leans on old-school New York street food with upgraded Central Park cart items — including Bavarian pretzels and a New York hot dog with sauerkraut and spicy mustard on a pretzel bun — while daytime service focuses on beer, wine and grab-and-go snacks and evenings will shift into a cocktail lounge once JJ Condo’s cocktails arrive later in the night; the owners say they aim for it to be “the best place to grab a cocktail in Columbus Circle.”" - Carla Vianna