Pier A Harbor House, set to open this summer in a majestic restored landmark building at Manhattan’s southern tip, has unveiled its food and drink programs.
Their new waterfront dining destination has been the talk of downtown for months.
Now, the trio behind the eagerly awaited Pier A Harbor House, set to open this summer in a majestic restored landmark building at Manhattan’s southern tip, has unveiled its food and drink programs: Richly textured menus celebrating the history, heritage, and bounty of the Hudson River Valley – and inspired by food and produce sourced near Pier A in the past and present.
Personally overseen by partners Peter Poulakakos, Danny McDonald, and Michael Jewell – the partners behind hotspots on Stone Street and The Dead Rabbit – Pier A Harbor House will add a new modern classic to Manhattan’s dining landscape.
On three levels, called Mix, Dine, and View, Pier A Harbor House will offer very different experiences:
Mix: Pier A Harbor House’s first level, Mix, will feature smaller, simply prepared plates and brilliantly curated craft beers and cocktails. The Long Hall, the centerpiece of the room, will feature a broad selection of European and local New York beers on tap, and dishes designed for sharing, though solo diners will feel just as welcome as groups of friends or teams of co-workers. Seating will pour out onto the pier’s promenade surrounding the building, where guests can enjoy the menu’s simple elements alfresco. Food will come cleanly presented and slightly seasoned to showcase its natural integrity, color, and flavor.
On the same floor, an oyster bar with an extensive oyster program will showcase the freshest specimens from across the region. Rotating varieties of oysters will be available depending on which are at their seasonal peak.
The Oyster Bar, like much of Pier A, is intended to offer a vibrant connection to the region’s history and geography through food. “Pier A Harbor House will celebrate the Hudson River Valley and everything that came up and down it, whether it was product or people.” said Danny McDonald. “Indulging in the area’s bounty will never feel more authentic than on this historic pier located on the banks of the river.”
Dine: Upstairs, at Dine, a fine-dining experience will unfold in a honeycomb of intimate rooms with a Gilded Age-inspired feel, open kitchen, and a “Chef’s Table”.
Farm-sourced meat and produce will get simple, respectful treatments that let ingredients sing. Heritage fruits and vegetables that might have been common a century ago will dazzle diners with wild textures and colors; Hudson Valley apples, in season, will appear as a signature in many apps and mains.
“The menu honors the products that were first emerging in New York City when the pier was constructed more than a hundred years ago,” said Peter Poulakakos. “Ingredients of that time period will highlight the menu, which will be presented in a refined yet modern way.”
A preview of the downstairs menu includes Pier A warm oysters with applewood-smoked bacon and gruyere gratin, which blends classic French and American ingredients to enhance the oysters’ natural and seasonal flavors. Here, they will take on a light smoked aroma from the Applewood smoked bacon, and get tang and texture from the silky, melted Gruyere.
Another future-classic menu item: The Lobster Roll with celery, scallions, lemon mayo on a grilled split top bun. A moist, tender top-split roll with Maine Lobster, will get slowly cooked in warm butter, then tossed with celery, scallions and a citrus-based mayonnaise, all topped with locally farmed herbs. This New England classic will come with a side of house-made potato chips and sour pickles.
Second floor selections will be more refined and composed, but unstuffy and refreshingly simple. They include marinated sweet Peekytoe crab salad with light apple pillows, celery seasoned with chives, and lemon and crème fraiche. Apples served three ways in this dish – roasted, raw and crisp – offer a perfect homage to the Hudson Valley’s cornucopia.
Another second-floor menu highlight: Farm-raised quail with minted spring pea and young potato fricassee. Delicious, slow-roasted quail will rest atop a stew of spring rainbow potatoes and the freshest peas, straight from the pod, infused with vegetable stock and fresh mint. Soft potato mousseline and a touch of boudin noir will accompany.
Two sumptuous bars will flank the second-floor eatery. The Harrison Room, boasting birds-eye views of the Financial District, will become Pier A Harbor House’s “power bar”, with a warm design in rich mahogany and dark leather. An edited menu of bar bites and hearty appetizers from Pier A Harbor House’s kitchen will make The Harrison Room one of downtown’s most sought-after gathering places and hangouts.
On the other side of Dine, an aperitif bar called The Commissioner’s Bar will offer whimsical cocktails with French/Italian accents, along with superb Champagne selections. A balcony overlooking the water will give The Commissioners Room spectacular views.
View: Pier A Harbor House’s third-floor event space, called The Loft, will offer superlative views and exquisite selections from Dine’s menu.
On all three levels of Pier A Harbor House, beer and cocktail programs will reflect the building’s immigrant history as a beacon of welcome for travelers after their “long haul.” “We’ll have a core of great European classic beers, including Irish stout to go with oysters and classic German pilsners and wheat beers of that era,” McDonald said. “There are also amazing craft beers coming out of New York State, and many of them offer retakes of classic beers reaching back hundreds of years. It’s another way for us to honor the history of this incredible structure and the people who have walked through it across the centuries.”
On both levels, furnishings made from reclaimed wood will reference the pier’s nautical past, and oversized windows will accentuate unbeatable views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Governor’s Island and the Verrazano Bridge.
