Hendriks, the classic American craft cocktail bar and restaurant in New York City’s Murray Hill, is expanding to add Hendriks Café, a garden patio surrounded by breezy French doors, opening the first week of May, and upstairs rooftop bar with a new American menu and creative cocktails, expected in July.
Owner Himansu Patel has revamped the space and menu, using his wealth of experience growing up in the food and beverage industry and working at the diners and concepts his entrepreneurial father owned. Patel received an MBA in public health and attended medical school, before he changed career paths and helped to take over the family business, while beginning new ventures like Hendriks. Patel emphasizes exceptional guest experiences through genuine connections with neighborhood regulars, and quality treatment of staff for a positive work environment. Bar and floor manager Prabal Belbase has a degree in hospitality and a passion for the industry. He worked in fine dining establishments around the globe, including FermentAsian restaurant in south Australia and Flutes in Singapore.
The menu by French culinary-trained executive chef Jaime Muñoz will be the same in the restaurant, café and rooftop, featuring creative, well-prepared American classics, available for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. House favorite appetizers are deviled eggs topped with smoked salmon and slow-cooked lamb meatballs in Romesco sauce, sprinkled with parmesan. Standout sandwiches are the crab cake English muffin topped with a gooey sunnyside up egg, served alongside shoestring fries with a recommended pairing of sriracha aioli, and the applewood pork belly with Fuji apple slaw and sriracha aioli on a fresh baguette. Pasta highlights are classic, housemade rigatoni bolognese, fresh rosemary gnocchi in a truffle cream sauce with kale, smoked pear, chestnuts and parmesan, and smoked pork belly risotto with wild mushrooms and sweet peas. Dinner entrées offer something for everyone, from seared rainbow trout topped with potatoes, sautéed kale and squash, and thick-cut applewood bacon, to a signature black angus burger with aged cheddar, smoked onion jam and pickles, and grilled skirt steak with caramelized onions, horseradish cream and chives alongside fingerling potatoes and bacon-corn succotash. Standout desserts are rich and fudgy flourless chocolate cake with seasonal ice cream and apple brown betty with a brown-sugar crust.
Happy Hour is offered every day of the week and includes specials on wine, beer and cocktails, as well as culinary offerings such as chickpea fritters, similar to falafel, served with creme fraiche and cilantro.
The global wine list was influenced by manager Prabal Belbase’s world travels and passion for understanding wine. The list ranges from Italian pinot grigio to French chenin blanc to California sauvignon blanc, and reds like California Cabernet Sauvignon, Italian Chianti and Australian Shiraz. The cocktail list is straightforward with playful additions, like a classic Mojito, but spiked with pineapple, and fresh, housemade Bloody Marys rimmed with rosemary salt. Bartender Luis Santos offers 20 years of industry experience, having worked two decades at former Murray Hill haunt Hudson Place.
The space evokes a classic dining experience with white exposed brick walls, espresso-colored wooden tables and chairs, and 20 leather seats at the elongated bartop. Design elements include bulbous glass light fixtures, geometrically designed mirrors and NYC-centric black signs lettered in crisp white. The aesthetic will extend to the café and rooftop bar. The space is ideal for private parties and events.
