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Bar Madonna

New York

New Entry

Contrary to what you might expect, Bar Madonna does not take its name from religion or the pop music icon. Instead, this spot in trendy Williamsburg is the self-titled brainchild of seasoned New York bartender Eric Madonna. Together with former Carbone manager Ray Rondo, they debuted Bar Madonna in April 2024 with the aim of opening a new chapter in modern Italian-American hospitality.

The interiors of Bar Madonna feel slick and modern, with the centrepiece painting from artist KidSuper proudly perched above the long bar counter. But nods to the classic Italian-American neighbourhood hangouts of old are woven into the aesthetic through the prevalence of stained wood, dark green banquette seating, exposed bricks and candlelight.

Its cocktails also aim to bridge the historic and contemporary. Take the Nonna's Half & Half, for example, a martini-adjacent concoction of both vodka and gin. In the Limoncello Milk Punch, the traditional digestif gets a makeover as a delectable, clarified creation with the addition of gin, tequila, genmaicha and shiso. Food from chef Rob Zrwirz trades simple bar bites for a line-up of the greatest hits of heart-warming Italian-American cuisine. Think smashed meatball parms with oozy provolone cheese, parmigiano crisp and garlic fries, or grilled calabrese wings dressed in smoked Calabrian hot sauce and buttermilk vinaigrette. Make sure to arrive both thirsty and hungry. 

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