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Opening today in the Financial District, Recreation is the retro-inspired bar and co-working space at the new Moxy NYC Downtown hotel. Behind the project is restaurateur and nightlife operator Jon Neidich of Golden Age Hospitality, who runs popular local bars and restaurants Happiest Hour, Acme, Tijuana Picnic and Slowly Shirley. Designed to feel like the ultimate hang-out house, guests at Recreation can challenge each other to an epic game of skee-ball, go head-to-head in Ms. Pacman and even shoot some hoops in the half-sized basketball court. The elevated cocktail program and inventive food menu makes this bar Downtown’s new laid-back neighborhood haunt, day and night.
By day, Recreation serves as a co-working space that gives guests the comforts and conveniences of working remotely. A large communal table is customized to feature several outlets and USB ports and there are plenty of comfortable seating areas with soft couches, plush chairs and cozy booths. Guests can sip on Intelligentsia Coffee and enjoy complimentary games for a welcomed distraction when needed.
As the sun sets the lights dim, the music turns up and the cocktails and conversations flow. Libations are reimagined versions of 1:1 drinks, some with housemade tonics, and keg-tapped cocktails mixed by beverage director Jim Kearns. On-tap drinks have spirited names like the Mellow Yellow, (Mezcal, Passion Fruit, Yellow Pepper Syrup, Habanero Shrub), and Margarita Al Pastor (Espolon Blanco Tequila, Green Chile Vodka, Orange Liqueur, Ancho Verde, Pineapple, Lime, Cilantro); while house cocktails feature boozy drinks like the Open All Night Manhattan (Old Forester 100 Bourbon, Ancho Reyes, Vermouth, Orange Bitters, Angostura), and Busy Bee (Boodles Gin, Lavender Herb Vermouth, Honey, Lemon, Sparkling Wine). The perfect party-starters, Recreation has large-format spiked punches including Curse Like a Sailor (Venezuelan Solera Rum, Jamaican dark rum, madeira, chai, Angostura, absinthe, grapefruit, lime) and Pool Party Picnic (gin, California Citrus vodka, chamomile, honey, pineapple, orange, Peychaud’s Bitters, lemon). Guests can channel their inner child with non-boozy housemade sodas like the Orange Creamsicle , bringing Recreation’s retro, nostalgic vibe full circle.
On the food side, Chef Akhtar Nawab (Alta Calidad) has created a menu with dishes designed for every craving. Breakfast offers an array of freshly baked pastries, bagels and croissants, along with several savory and sweet dishes like the “Everything Bagel” Flatbread with scallions, cream cheese and housemade gravelaxs. Small plates include Crispy Chicken and Waffle Bites served with rosemary bacon gravy and maple syrup, and ‘Mexican-Style’ Drunken Shrimp Cocktail with a spicy bloody Mary dip and chili fleur de sel. Rounding out the all-day menu, Recreation serves a selection of salads, sandwiches and flatbreads.
The “Pick Up” grab-and-go area features round-the-clock access to quick bites and munchies, items like freshly made sandwiches and salads, craft sodas and juices and local snacks, including a signature Moxy NYC Downtown flavor of the wildly popular dessert DŌ, Cookie Dough Confections, made designed exclusively for the hotel (hint: silver glitter sprinkles included).
Designed by Stonehill & Taylor, Recreation is an expansive 5,000 sq. ft. space located upstairs at the new 30-story Moxy NYC Downtown hotel, with seating for 84 in the lounge/dining area and 16 at the bar. At the entrance to the hotel is a massive LED wall on Ann Street that greets guests with images of curated digital art installations. Upon exiting the elevators, guests step into Recreation where they are met with 20-foot high ceilings and the bar’s signature lifesize crochetdermy bear mascot created by UK artist Shauna Richardson. Retro touches are prevalent throughout and found in the color scheme, which consists of neutral brown and grey tones layered with pops of colors in blue, yellow and orange. The 30-foot bar is painted with vibrant floor-to-ceiling stripes that lead eyes to a neon light fixture above, reading “Good Times, Bad Times.” A massive skylight sits directly above the bar and illuminates the space during the day, while stringed lights nestled beneath give a soft dim glow at night.
The space’s combination of mid-century modern and eclectic furnishings, like the oversized denim sectional and a classic leather Joe DiMaggio glove chair, portrays the notion that these pieces have been collected over time. Classic rock references are peppered subtly throughout, including a custom art piece made of laser cut soul train silhouettes from vinyl records. Recreation’s gaming elements includes fun classics like the old school arcade machine with games like Ms. Pacman, Centipede and Donkey Kong, skee-ball machines, giant Jenga and tabletop shuffleboard. The half-sized basketball court doubles as a private event space and will feature programmed events and activities throughout the year.
Recreation is located at 26 Ann Street (between Broadway and Nassau streets), upstairs at Moxy NYC Downtown in New York, NY.
Website: https://www.moxynycdowntown.com/
Hours of Operation: Daily, from 6:30am-2am; bar opens at 11am daily, noon on Sundays
ABOUT MOXY NYC DOWNTOWN:
Opened fall 2018, Moxy NYC Downtown is a new-build, 30-story, 298-key property located on Ann Street in New York City’s Financial District, just off Broadway and steps away from One World Trade, Brookfield Place and more. The hotel compliments the exciting development in the area’s dining, drinking and destination realms, and seeks to radiate the neighborhood’s eclectic vibe and put travelers in the heart of the emerging new scene. The hotel features a third floor bar, lounge and “play space” called Recreation and 27 floors of efficiently designed guest rooms, featuring luxury touchpoints and thoughtful attention to detail in a comfortable setting. The inquire or book a reservations, please visit moxynycdowntown.com and follow the hotel on Instagram for updates.
Golden Age Hospitality is a vertically integrated hospitality group overseeing the design, development, operations, and consulting of some of New York’s most successful food and beverage venues. Founded in 2012 by Jon Neidich and made up of industry leaders with a combined 50+ years of experience, the group currently owns and operates Acme, The Happiest Hour, Slowly Shirley, Tijuana Picnic, and, opened fall 2018, Recreation – the new cocktail bar and co-working space located upstairs at the Moxy NYC Downtown hotel in the Financial District.