Photos: Eric Medsker
Tigre, a new cocktail lounge from Premiere Enterprises—the team behind the award-winning oyster and cocktail bar Maison Premiere—has arrived on the Lower East Side at 105 Rivington St, at Ludlow.
Hidden behind an original graffiti-worn door, Tigre encapsulates the Lower East Side, with one foot in the past, and another in the future, all underscored by its contemporary style. Tigre transports guests to the luxe residences and lounges of the past, with a menu of sophisticated cocktails for the well-traveled palate.
Co-founders Joshua Boissy and Krystof Zizka have received numerous accolades over the years for Maison Premiere, including Esquire’s Best Bar in America, and a James Beard Award for Outstanding Bar Program. For Tigre, Boissy and Zizka have again teamed up with William Elliott, long-time Bar Director of Maison Premiere, who heads up the beverage program.
Tigre’s cocktail menu is split into six sections. “Then” features cocktails that nod to yesteryear, such as the Carol Channing with Framboise, lime, and champagne; and the Rolls Royce with gin, Moscato Chinato, Benedictine, and saffron. “Now” cocktails embrace New Wave flavor profiles, with selections like Cherchez La Femme with chartreuse, coffee, and cacao; and Mister Softee with Singani, sage, and pina.
Refreshing cocktails make up the “Coolers,” such as the Agave with Raicilla sourced from Durango, Mexico, with pasilla chile, and Eau with mango and mesquite. “Mists” explore unique, unusual spirits with minimal ingredients so that the spirit is center stage, and are served with crushed ice, paired with tropical fruit, and lengthened with club soda. Selections include Prickly Pear with bacanora from Sonora and Honeydew with shochu. The “Martinis by Ratio” allows guests to tailor their martini preferences with precision, with options ranging from 4:1 to 16:1.
Non-alcoholic cocktails include One with salted raspberry and chamomile; and Seven with stewed cherry and coffee. In addition to cocktails, the wine and beer list is curated by Krystof Zizka. Tigre plans to introduce a food menu at a later date.
As for the interior, Tigre describes itself as ‘refined meeting the raw.’ Guests are greeted by a hall of golden mirrors lined in dark oak paneling with industrial chainmail curtains. The walls of the main space are furnished in gold ultrasuede (a throwback to Halston) and plush jacquard velvet banquettes with emblematic tiger embroidery.
An eight-person horseshoe-shaped bar is the focal point, touting a “champagne island” in the middle with a custom geometric chandelier. Caramel-hued velvet snakes its way down the curvy banquettes, with rich earthen chocolate leather seats inviting guests to relax in the seductive space where music is felt in true hi-fidelity courtesy of the custom Ojas sound system. The mirrored ceiling creating a kaleidoscopic effect that helps Tigre roar!
