Alumni of Alinea and Pujol set to open Bar Lumiere

Colombia Waterfront gets a high-end cocktail den with fancy and fabulous bar food

Lumiere, a high-end cocktail den and with a fancy and fun bar menu, is getting ready to open on the Columbia Street Waterfront. The restaurant is helmed by an all-star crew that includes chef Nicholas Lomba who has previously worked at MICHELIN-starred spots like Gramercy Tavern, Momofuku Ko, and Alinea and barman Andres Torres, a cocktail guru who spent seven years at Pujol in Mexico City, and did stints at Le Syndicat in Paris, and most recently at The Clam on Hudson Street.

Lumiere is the first restaurant project from art and music industry friends Fab Dupont, who has produced records for big artists like Bad Bunny and Shakira), and the artist Nick Farhi. It is located just across the street from Laurel, and a few doors down from Popina, creating a nice little restaurant row down there with Swoony’s a few blocks away. It replaces what was the Thai restaurant Act One (the best local karaoke place, RIP), and most notably housed Pok Pok back in the day; it is now in soft open mode, serving magnificent cocktails and loads of warm hospitality, alongside a limited menu until the gas gets turned on.

The restaurant, with its state-of–the-art DJ booth, modern lines, and leafy backyard, will be open until 4am when it gets going, the perfect hour for Lomba’s menu of classy grown-up bar fare. He’s doing a sensational chicken sandwich – a spicy buttermilk-brined breast fried so it’s crackling and crispy, topped with cheddar and pickles, barely contained by an impressive sesame seed bun that’s slathered with housemade ranch. His menu also includes an elegant and addictive French Onion Dip that comes with generous dollops of Osetra and a bowl of potato chips for scooping, as well as a bright rose-colored beet salad with goat cheese, passion fruit and wasabi that hits all the notes – sweet, sour, tangy, and spicy. He’s also planning New Orleans-style broiled oysters topped with crispy andouille and pickled ramps, and an artichoke croque madame with sunny side egg and gruyere.

The cocktail menu is long and wonderful - Andreas made me a Mezcal and Aperol drink called the Naked and Famous the other night (which somehow I kept calling Naked and Lonely, so clearly there’s a Freudian slip), and a bourbon-drink called the Smoke Signal alongside a slew of spring-forward gin drinks and a nice wine list. Andreas is a doll, and he is a wonderful presence in the room, charming and gracious while pouring, stirring and shaking. It’s a great vibe and one I am very excited to welcome to the neighborhood.

Bar Lumiere is located at 117 Columbia Street, check instagram for updated hours.