There’s a new watering hole in Greenpoint called The Buttery Bar (152 Driggs Ave.). If The Buttery Bar sounds familiar, that’s because the same establishment graced Greenpoint as a pop-up for a few weekends last winter.
After ending the pop up in January, The Buttery Bar announced in May that it would return for good, much to the delight of thirsty Greenpointers. A slight delay ensued, and the bar finally opened Friday, October 8th.
The Buttery Bar is still working on cocktail creations, but currently has an excellent selection of wine, beer, and bites. The food menu is small, but mighty, with an enticing list of tapas. The most popular dishes are the incredible Corn Bread with bacon fat, crème fraiche, and chives, and the creamy Chorizo Fondue with gouda, fontina, gruyère, and chorizo, served with roti. Both can be vegetarian. For something lighter, try the Grilled Oysters with corn crumble, cotija cheese, and parsley. They come in a serving of 3 and are fantastic.
The staff at The Buttery Bar is incredibly knowledgeable about the wine and beer they serve. The sommelier on staff has been known to wax poetic about wine not on the menu and serve samples for lucky customers. Plus, everyone is not only knowledgable but really friendly, making The Buttery Bar a place where you’ll want to linger.
Many patrons ask about the name, and if you do, you’ll be rewarded with a cool story about monks. A buttery was historically a large cellar room under a monastery where monks stored food and drink for the provisioning of strangers and passing guests. As the name suggests, The Buttery Bar carries on this tradition and supplies wine, beer and food for Greenpointers. You might notice a friendly gargoyle on the bar’s website, a nod to the medieval monasteries and their butteries.
The Buttery Bar boasts other fun accents too, like the well-worn books that are on every table with QR codes to find the menu. Cozy intimate booths line one wall inside, and the small outdoor setup, with string lights and pretty plants, is undeniably charming.
The Buttery Bar is open Wednesday to Friday 5 p.m. – close and Saturday and Sunday 3 p.m. – close.
1 less parking spot in the area, yay!