Kennett
Kennett Restaurant is a neighborhood gastropub with style, tucked away amid row homes in Queen Village. Housed in a vintage tavern, Kennett serves up modern fare with a soft spot for vegetarians. Dim and cozy, it lends great atmosphere for anything from a first date to a family dinner.
The beer list was moderate but mighty, featuring a healthy mix of craft domestics on tap. The wine list offers an international selection of wines, with an emphasis on wines that have been sustainably harvested. This eco effort extends to the locally sourced food menu, the building materials, even the soy-painted walls of the restaurant.
For the cocktail menu, the designers reached back to the space's shady Prohibition-era roots. Originally opened under the moniker of Kennett Cafe in 1924, Kennett's first incarnation was as a speakeasy. The Kennetts, a husband-and-wife team, operated a cafe on the ground level, with boarding rooms above and moonshine below.
The cocktail list is organized by the origins of the bar, moving from classics to contemporary artisan cocktails. The Founders section pays homage to the pre-Prohibition era, with old timers such as the Black Stripe. Made with Gosling's Black Seal Rum, molasses syrup, and nutmeg, the Black Stripe, like the other concoctions on the Founders list, can be served hot or cold.
The Bootleggers section tips its hat to the Kennetts themselves, featuring speakeasy staples. A standout is the Remember the Maine!, a twist on a Manhattan with rye, sweet vermouth, Cherry Heering, absinthe, and brandied cherry garnish. The final flourish is the Reformers, an inventive list that includes co-owner Johnny Della Polla's secret 2nd Street Mary, a Bloody Mary made with fresh, organic ingredients.
Stop in for happy hour from 5-7 on Monday through Friday, and take $1 off of drafts and wines. For the 9-to-5 crowd looking to take the edge off or for the ladies who lunch, Kennett also offers happy hour drink specials from 11-1, Sunday through Thursday.
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