The Vault at Pfaff's

“The vault at Pfaff’s where the drinkers and laughers eat and drink and carouse.” So wrote Walt Whitman, and so the staff of today's Pfaff's tries to keep it. Originally a beer cellar and Bohemian hangout from 1855, this historically rich cocktail bar hidden away underground on Broadway offers a glimpse into the lives of speakeasy patrons like Whitman and Mark Twain, with the only anachronism the hefty drink prices. The bar boasts a hidden entryway to keep up the speakeasy allure, with a dimly lit, vintage interior complete with old-timey newspapers to read. Waitresses dressed in corsets designed by Christian Siriano (of Project Runway) bring such drinks as Leaves of Grass (vodka, 10 year port, homemade honey syrup and lemon) or Twain's Thyme (white rum, homemade falernum, lemon and lime), at $16 each. The food menu is nothing to scoff at, with elevated bar bites like Salmon Tartare (17) and oysters (18), along with heavier choices like Truffled Mac N' Cheese (16) and Wild Boar Cassoulet (15).