Bodega Negra, an offshoot of the popular London restaurant known for its menu of upscale Mexican fare, has opened in New York's Dream Downtown hotel.
TAO/Strategic Group worked alongside nightlife legend Serge Becker and his partners, celebrated UK restaurant operator Will Ricker and entrepreneur Ed Spencer Churchill, to bring the concept across the pond.
Designed by Becker, who conceptualized the look and feel of the London dining experience, the 108-seat restaurant is the result of the transformation of the space located just off the lobby of Dream Downtown. Upon entering Bodega Negra, guests encounter an intimate, mock Tudor Hacienda space rich in dark tones and accented by mirrored panels and copper trim. A black, A-frame ceiling draws the eye up to exposed beams where a dramatic copper penny disco ball hangs central in the dining room. Mix-match decor, from screens made of repurposed Mariachi uniform details and guitars to collaged antique paintings, sets an evocative tone. Wooden tables and banquettes, upholstered in reclaimed military tents, animal hide and traditional Mexican Serape textiles provide seating in the main dining room against a wall of antique tequila barrels.
Bodega Negra bar. Photos courtesy of Tanya Blum.
Deconstructed pianos form the visual centerpiece of the 12-seat bar, replete with a bronze countertop and glass-blown, rose light fixtures. The menu of Mexican-inspired fare, created by Executive Chef Michael Armstrong, can be enjoyed in full at the bar or in the restaurant.
The restaurant includes a private dining room with seating for up to 24.