Chinatown’s New Cure-All

Chinatown is no longer just a destination for dim sum and designer knock-offs.

In fact, it’s becoming a bona fide nightlife mecca, due in large part to Apothéke, the recently opened boîte from esteemed mixologist Albert Trummer and brother-sister duo Heather and Christopher Tierney.

Inspired by ancient apothecary traditions, the bar menu is divided into nine categories of drinks including ones to promote health and beauty (made with cucumber and floral notes), to relieve stress (featuring sage and lavender), or to entice euphoric encounters (made with coco and opium leaves), among others. The 250 cocktails offered are all expertly prepared and showcase homemade bitters and infusions, innovative flavor combinations, and even a special absinthe made from a 200 year old recipe.

The apothecary theme extends to the bar’s décor, with the shelves behind the strikingly back-lit marble bar stocked with herbal tincture-filled jars, myriad bottles of spirits, and old-fashioned looking vials, while the restroom doors are adorned with medicinal labels from long ago and a large caduceus (the symbol of medicine) which dominates one of the walls. With only eight tables, there isn’t much seating room, but, our guess is that the bar has a drink created just to cure tired legs.

For private parties, Apothéke can accommodate up to 100 guests, with a minimum of $5000 for two hours, or $10,000 for the entire evening. Custom cocktails can also be created by the talented bar staff to reflect the nature of the event.

Apothéke is located at 9 Doyers Street, between Pell Street and Bowery. To reserve the bar for an event, contact Heather Tierney at 212-406-0400.

Lauren Shockey is a food writer who has contributed to publications including The New York Times Magazine, Gastronomica, Brides and ELLEgirl.

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Apothéke