Q & A With Zeb Stewart

Q.  Please tell us about Cafe Colette, Hotel Delmano and Union Pool:

A. When I was 27, Union Pool was my vision of a perfect bar at the time. I still think it’s pretty great. After opening Union Pool, I never thought I would build another bar, but nine years later I found myself wanting for a different kind of experience. Hotel Delmano was, and still is, my dream bar. It's not too big, not too small, it has lots of quiet corners... I think Hotel Delmano is how I imagined bars to be in Havana or Paris, though at the time I hadn't been to either. I worked on the design with my partner, Michael Smart, and we wanted it to feel like something that had not been designed or built, but found or rediscovered. 

I think I was sitting over there across the street at Hotel Delmano thinking, ‘wouldn't it be swell if I could walk over there and have a steak’ when I started thinking about the idea of Cafe Colette. Building Colette, I started thinking of it as a counterpoint to the more traditional Hotel Delmano.  Instead of marble, mahogany and brass, I used cast cement tables, painted floors and bright walls.

Q.  Preference: Mixologist or Bartender?

A. I don't love the term mixologist, it implies solely the execution of perfect drinks. However, in my mind, the role of a bartender is so much more than making a great drink. As my friend once said, ‘nobody wants to say I went home with the mixologist last night.’

Recommendations

Find | Resources

Favorite Resources For Keeping Up With The Cocktail & Culinary Community

The best resources for me are my friends in the industry and the people I work with. My places have a very collaborative spirit. I'm constantly talking to my bartenders, chefs and servers about what's going on in the industry. People who have a true passion for food and drink can't keep it in, they love to share and talk about what they're doing and what's going on around them.

Eat | Favorite Restaurants

Café Moto

While so many Williamsburg restaurants are drawing crowds, one of the most under-the-radar restaurants is Cafe Moto. In my opinion, it was the catalyst for a design revolution in our city. It's a beautiful room, and the menu is by this talented young chef, Joaquin Melo. My favorite place to sit is the left side of the bar, as you walk in. It faces a large plate glass window that frames a staircase where people walk down from the subway platform. It's very cinematic, and if it happens to be snowing, and you're waiting for someone special to come down those stairs, it's a perfect New York moment.

Saltie

Imagine a small restaurant where your pastries, sandwiches and salads are made by real chefs and owners who have spent their lives lovingly dedicated to food. Saltie has changed the Williamsburg neighborhood for the better. I love this place.

1 or 8

This restaurant is for a special night out. The first trick is finding it – then ask to sit in the back at the sushi counter right in front of chef Kazuo, if you can. Order the omakase, and while you're at it, order a sake pairing too!

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DRINK | Bars

Classic New York Experience | Bemelman's Bar in the Carlyle Hotel

They have maintained their great level of service and integrity over time.

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Off The Beaten Track Bars

Nancy Whiskey

Great burger, but watch your heart when going upstairs... and they have shuffleboard!

Brooklyn Ice House in Red Hook

I'm jealous of the people who get to call this their local spot... great bartenders, great cheap food and an awesome backyard... and Buck Hunter!

Vinegar Hill House

In the historic neighborhood of Vinegar Hill -- this great restaurant has a curated list of spirits and a knowledgeable staff that will mix a perfect drink every time.

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DRINK | Wine & Spirits

Interesting Spirits

Victoria Gin

I just came across it and I love it because of its bold flavor profile. When I drink a gin, I want it to taste like gin, not vodka.

Wine | Christian Venier's Cabernet Franc La Gautrie

At Cafe Colette, my partner Erin Gerken, recently took over the wine list, and is killing it! My favorite at the moment is Christian Venier's Cabernet Franc La Gautrie. It's super light, slightly smoky, and delicious!

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City Guide

- Download the F.E.D. Brooklyn City Guide

Recommendations

Details of Zeb Stewart’s recommendations for what to drink and where to drink in New York and Brooklyn.

Cocktail Recipes

- Zeb’s Negoni

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