March 3, 2015
Historic Hotel Holland House Is Getting A Revival
There is an indication that a piece of NoMad drinking history may be coming back to life, just two blocks from the upcoming “old-fashioned” bar, John Doe’s.
One of the most famous of the ritzy bars was in the Holland House hotel, just two blocks away from the future home of John Doe’s. During the Gilded Age, Holland House was considered one of the world’s best hotels, catering to presidents and ambassadors from around the world. The gorgeous building, fairly untouched on the outside, still stands at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 30th Street, although it has been an office building for decades.
The Holland House bar was the birthplace of the Widow’s Kiss cocktail, invented by head bartender George Kappeler. The NoMad Hotel still serves this classic drink.
A mysterious sign has appeared in the ground floor retail of Holland House that reads “All about beers – Holland House.” Is NoMad getting another historical bar, reviving memories of NoMad’s storied past? Plans for the space have not been confirmed, but we will let you know as soon as we find out.
UPDATE
A new Craigslist job listing reveals that Holland House will indeed be getting a new bar. The ad, which calls for front of house staff, bills the revitalized Holland House as “one of the largest Beer halls & Asian tapas bars in New York City.”
Beer and tapas isn’t quite a nod to the ex-hotel’s Gilded Age days, but we are still very excited for the new bar’s opening, whenever it is.