York to get a taste of Big Apple glamour when £400K cocktail bar opens

Old York will get a taste of New York when a big new cocktail bar opens.

NYC-inspired cocktail bar Manahatta is due to open on 9 November in the former Banyan Bar on Little Stonegate.

The venue will be the sixth bar in the chain to open after a £400K investment in the building.

Fit-out work is underway and the finished design will include “unique Instagrammable features”.

“Think contemporary cool, neon signage and stylish peacock blue booths that allow guests to soak up the atmosphere with a little more privacy set in an exciting party vibe,” the bar owners say.

Manahatta will feature cocktails, US-themed menus and a “bottomless brunch offering that’s designed to get the party started in style”.

The bar opening will also create 40 new full and part-time jobs.

Key concoctions

Bar development manager Mark Austin is developing the cocktail list. He has created some of the company’s most popular drinks in his 12 years working for owner Arc Inspirations, which runs brands Manahatta, Banyan Bar & Kitchen and BOX.

Key concoctions include the Thyme Square Cooler, which blends gin with lemon, Fair goji liqueur, grapefruit, thyme and lemonade to create a zesty citrus bomb.

Another bestseller is the Staten Island Iced Tea, which remixes the beloved cocktail classic with gin, Bacardi Carta Balance rum, Woodford Reserve bourbon, Cointreau orange liqueur, lemonade, hibiscus and lemon.

The signature Manahatta Spritz is a proven customer favourite with its mix of Tanqueray gin, Campari, house cordial and grapefruit soda. There’s also a classics menu, which utilises premium international brands to create the very best versions of the Old Fashioned and Pornstar Martini you’ll find in town.

Local DJ’s will “drop an eclectic mix of upfront bangers and cool cuts from the last few decades” to give the bar a party vibe.

Lots for foodies

Bestselling dishes at Manahatta include the Empire State Chicken and the Mac Lasagne with slow cooked beef brisket.

A range of stacked burgers include the Godfather – a stack of beef, fried chicken, pancetta, pulled pork and Monterey Jack Cheese with all the trimmings.

Meanwhile, the Beyond Brooklyn is described as “vegan junk food heaven” with its plant-based patty, pulled BBQ jack fruit and vegan cheese and chipotle.

Those on a health kick might want to look to the Sunshine Powerbowl, which comes with avocado, beetroot, turmeric quinoa, sweet potato and pickled onion.

Arc Inspirations CEO, Mark Wolstencroft, said:

• We’ve been blown away by the reaction to the Manahatta brand across Leeds, Manchester and Harrogate and are thrilled to be launching in this historic city.

  Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, dropping in for a business lunch or require something unique for a private event, Manahatta York can deliver.

  Watch this space for details of the launch, as it’s going to be a party that York doesn’t forget for a long time.