Mandarin Oriental, New York and Chicago-based co-owners Chef Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas of The Alinea Group have joined forces with Adam D. Tihany of Tihany Design to bring The Aviary NYC to the hotel’s 35th floor in late summer. Tihany Design is reimagining the innovative restaurant for drinks concept in Chicago to reflect the energy and buzz of New York City. As with the Chicago location, The Aviary NYC will deliver a distinctive culinary approach to cocktails and service.
“Our vision for The Aviary NYC at Mandarin Oriental, New York is not only to exceed our guests’ expectations of service and reaffirm our commitment to culinary excellence, but to provide a comfortable and modern space that will encapsulate the spectacular views of New York City and the pulse of everyday Manhattan,” said Susanne Hatje, General Manager. “We are confident that with the creative vision and direction of Tihany Design, we will be able to transform this space into an unforgettable experience for visitors.”
The Aviary NYC at Mandarin Oriental, New York
Upon entering the 35th floor of Mandarin Oriental, New York, guests will be greeted by a refreshed circular lobby with comfortable seating designed for meeting and relaxing. Floor-to-ceiling windows serve as the backdrop of this expansive space providing sweeping views of Central Park, Columbus Circle and the Manhattan skyline.
From the lobby, stairs descend into The Aviary NYC, where the dining room opens up like a grand stage, framed by delicate gold woven metal mesh. Reflecting the core principles of the Chicago location, the space will provide an interactive journey for guests, with inventive cocktails and small food plates. The 90-seat cocktail lounge will provide a comfortable, contemporary environment, with plush leather swivel chairs and rounded sofas placed around custom-designed Decca art metal-topped coffee and cocktail tables.
Sweeping custom floor lamps will brighten the lounge, while overhead, curving, ribbon-like gold light fixtures will weave across the dark ceiling. A custom dark blue Loloey carpet, featuring playful swirls of white, beige and tan tones, will adorn the space throughout, providing a dramatic contrast to the gold mesh-framed wall of windows with panoramic views of the city.
Once in the cocktail lounge, guests will be able to glimpse into the elevated glass-enclosed Drink Kitchen featuring glass and bronze light fixtures, custom bar equipment and black porcelain tiled stations where Aviary drink makers mastermind cocktails.
The Office NYC at Mandarin Oriental, New York
Accessible only by entering The Aviary NYC through a hidden passageway behind the Drink Kitchen, the intimate 40-seat Office at Mandarin Oriental, New York will transport guests back to the era of speakeasies with a selection of classic cocktails and world-class rare spirits. Under the dark coiffered ceiling, the perimeter of the space will feature an industrial-style metal beam, while textured windowpanes conjure images of an early 20th century New York City loft. With a smoky parquet wood floor and vintage area rugs, guests can relax into deep-seated leather and suede club chairs that surround wood, bronze and marble topped coffee tables.
The Office’s bar area will feature a wood and bronze bar top illuminated by hanging pendant bar lights, a whimsical monkey lamp and leather and cowhide upholstered stools. Guests can choose from some of the rarest whisky collections in the world from an antique hutch, while taking in the vintage collectors items which decorate the space.
“We are thrilled to collaborate on another project with Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group- especially on an exciting endeavor like The Aviary NYC,” said Adam D. Tihany of Tihany Design. “Our goal is to create a bespoke, intimate experience that captures the innovative nature of Aviary Chicago while embodying the ‘top of the world’ sensation of the Mandarin Oriental New York location.”
“It’s been a pleasure collaborating with Tihany Design as they lead the design of our first location outside of Chicago and fully-conceptualize this space,” said Nick Kokonas, co-owner of The Alinea Group. “His team has had tremendous success with Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group and we are looking forward to seeing our vision for the lounge transform completely.”