Why you stayThe impeccably dressed bartenders (black ties, black shirts, heavy dress apron) behind the counter hint at the kind of establishment that Bar Lafayette aims to be: a grown-up place serving grown-up drinks to a grown-up crowd. The cocktails further reinforce the bar’s commitment to quality, from the gleaming glassware to the hard ice of piercing clarity. But while staff work hard to maintain a polished atmosphere, a renegade streak underpins this clubby den strewn with leather couches. Hip-hop features prominently on the crisp sound system, while subversive remakes of da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam strike a similar balance between urban and urbane. Grab one of the six stools at the bar to chat with the person making your drinks; otherwise floor staff patrolling the room take and deliver orders. While food is available, the brief menu is mostly snacky bits such as cured meats, cheese, and bread and dips. For something more substantial, hit neighbouring W Churchill (Lafayette’s pub sibling) for counter meal classics, including a chicken parmy to be reckoned with.
