New Kid on the Block: The Bennett

The Bennett tablesNamed after a classic cocktail—a gin gimlet with bitters—The Bennett is a new bar opening tonight in the former Petite Abeille space. “The demographic changed,” said co-owner Alberto Benenati, when asked about the shift. “We thought it wanted to be something more sophisticated.” Benenati’s partners are Meaghan Dorman and Yves Jadot; the trio also collaborated on Dear Irving and the Raines Law Room.

The rooms seats around 60, with a dozen at the bar, and even though the decor is retro-glam, the atmosphere is intended to be friendly—the bulletin board will list the various bartenders’ schedules, so you can time your visit accordingly. As at the Bennett’s aforementioned sister bars, service buttons allow you to ring for another round, and plans call for outdoor seating. Besides cocktails, there’s a menu of small bites, including a burger, steak skewers, cauliflower croquettes, and “Almost World Famous” fries. Brunch service is in the works.

The Bennett is at 134 W. Broadway (between Thomas and Duane); thebennettbar.com.

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2 Comments

  1. Did the demographic really change? Last I checked, families and older artists live in TriBeCa. That has been the case for quite sometime. We’ll see how many fussy, trendy little bars we need here. I think the real reason the owner went with the bar theme is because bars make more money for a lot less effort. I, for one, am very disappointed a bar has replaced Petite Abeille. We need more restaurants—not bars.

  2. We miss petite abeille so much!! It was our go to brunch spot. Haven’t found a replacement for their waffles