Do it for the gram

BARS • First Round

The Skinny: A Champagne and caviar parlor in an underground lair in the Meatpacking District, brought to you by the unlikely hospitality player Restoration Hardware. 

The Vibe: The white oak staircase at RH Guesthouse New York leads down to the cellar, where Champagne & Caviar Bar, an intimate, 32-seat room, is outfitted with Italian Calacatta gold marble tables and marble floors. The ceiling is made of hand-blown amber glass, illuminating the space in golden light. Floor-to-ceiling refrigerated cases stocked with notable bottles line the walls.

The Food & Drinks: The list includes bottles both old (a 1990 Dom, a 1985 Salon) and young (think Bérêche) to pair with Petrossian-caviar-accented snacks — cones, mini king crab rolls, tartares. Or order by the gram, with classic accouterments.

The Verdict: While Champagne & Caviar Bar’s fancy finger food isn’t substantial enough for dinner, the lounge is made for haute pre-dinner drinks and snacks. The move: book a 7:30p table and then walk up to Noz 17 for its 9p seating. –Kat Odell