Clemente Bar

"Clemente Bar has taken over what used to be part of the upstairs private dining room of Daniel Humm’s three-Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park. It’s named after artist Francesco Clemente and features a collection of his works. Beverage director Sebastian Tollius has put together a list of technical cocktails, while the all-vegan menus offered include a la carte dishes in the bar room (sake pickles, Clemente burger) or a five-course tasting menu in the studio, with dishes like an agedashi tofu hand roll and soba with bok choy, tomato, and sesame." - Emma Orlow, Eater Staff

"If there’s someone in your life who you love and yet is under the impression that plant-based fine-dining are two-word hyphenates that cannot co-exist, bring them to Clemente Bar. It’s the latest brainchild of Swiss chef Daniel Humm, maestro of illustrious Eleven Madison Park, which Humm reimagined in 2021 to be entirely plant-based and became the first and only plant-based restaurant in Michelin Guide history to receive a three-star rating. That said, to do dinner at this white-tablecoth institution can feel like too much of an event for any skeptic of plant-based cuisine. And good luck getting a reservation. Enter Clemente, a cocktail bar and tasting counter that opened this fall in a space that resembles a very chic attic above Eleven Madison Park. Much like EMP, Clemente serves an entirely plant-based menu that manifests as sumptuous and savory bar bites. Some highlights: sake pickles with kohlrabi and cucumber, all crunch and brightness; decadent carrot tartare topped with tonburi, a type of edible seed sometimes called “land caviar”; inari (a pouch of seasoned fried tofu with sushi rice) topped with avocado; and the Agedashi Dog, fried tofu served in a potato roll and garnished with black truffles. The whole effect is that of Humm’s thesis statement on plant-based cooking: No need to be fussy; all this can just be plain ol’ fun. (The evening made me consider vegetarianism, but only fleetingly because I lack the skills and patience of Clemente’s—and EMP’s—brilliant cooks.) Of course, not to be outdone are the cocktails, so well-bodied and round on the palate that they almost have a chew to them. The list is divided into sections like “light,” “bold,” and “clarified,” offering stars like the refreshing 5th Leaf, a pisco drink with smoked sunchoke, pear, and shiso; and the Clemente Martini, the cleanest dirty martini I’ve ever had—tasty and edgy, thanks to the green curry and saffron. They all pair well with the interiors designed by Francesco Clemente Studio, where frescoes depict Surrealist Lite fantasias and the dim lighting sets the mood for the savvy crowd and charming staff. —Matt Ortile, associate editor" - CNT Editors

"Clemente Bar, a new establishment from the team behind Eleven Madison Park, is a dual-concept bar featuring a lounge and an eight-seat tasting counter. It's located above the Three Michelin Star dining room and pays tribute to Italian painter Francesco Clemente with dreamlike abstract murals. The bar, directed by Sebastian Tollius and managed by Richard Millwater, offers minimalist cocktails using techniques like clarification and ingredients such as pandan and umeboshi. The plant-based snacks include comfort foods like a Sichuan peppercorn-laced portobello mushroom burger. The adjacent space, The Studio, offers a five-course tasting menu with a focus on Japanese ingredients. The experience is designed to be casual yet refined, with a focus on artistic minimalism and refined flavors. The design merges art and drink, making Francesco Clemente's work a focal point. The culinary program includes nostalgic plant-based dishes with an elevated twist. The goal is for Clemente Bar to be a timeless space that offers an escape within New York City." - Kat Odell

"If you’re looking to cross Eleven Madison Park off your list, the best way to do it is by not going at all. Clemente Bar is a new cocktail lounge hidden up a set of stairs past the restaurant’s foyer, and it offers a snapshot of the EMP experience at a more affordable (but still expensive) price. Sit on a funky stool in the small, carpeted room that looks like a speakeasy brought to you by MoMA, and try a perfectly balanced Negroni/piña colada mashup paired with a fried tofu dog wearing a thick blanket of shaved black truffle." - bryan kim, will hartman, willa moore, neha talreja, molly fitzpatrick, sonal shah

"We love a celtuce tostada as much as the next person. But if we had to pick a highlight from Eleven Madison Park, it might be the tableside Manhattan cart. The plant-based fine-dining spot excels at cocktails, and you can try one without committing to a blowout dinner. Clemente Bar, an elegant wood-paneled cube hidden above sister restaurant EMP, is a very pleasant place to sit on a low banquette, soak in a few contemporary murals, and drink something so complex it should come with footnotes. A piña colada/Negroni hybrid arrives topped with a frozen disc of Campari and sweet vermouth, and a whiskey cocktail with pandan and tahini has pronounced notes of Girl Scout Cookie. photo credit: Evan Sung Bring a date or a client, skip the $225 tasting, and choose an a la carte snack or two, like the carrot tartare or tofu dog under a blanket of shaved truffle. The vegetarian food is just as compelling as what's served downstairs, but it doesn’t have to meet the impossible expectations of a $1,000 check." - Bryan Kim