Wilfie & Nell
It’s only fitting that I eventually give a nod to my favorite watering hole. I know what you’re thinking — “Your favorite??? Tell me more!” Wilfie & Nell is built on the sentimental charm of being named after the grandparents of Irish owners and brothers, Mark and Simon Gibson {who wouldn’t want to love grandparents named Wilfie & Nell!}. Both Dubliners can often be found stationed behind the bar, pulling from a lovely selection of brews, generous wine pours or a creative list of house crafted cocktails. Might I suggest the Hot Toddy on a cold winter’s night? And what better to go with your soul-warming cocktail than a dish from their limited, but perfectly delicious Irish menu {oxymoron part deux}. Two favorites of mine: The Berkshire Pork Sliders and the Grilled Cheese, both of which are served with a side of whole grain mustard {gold star ingredient to any good dish} and McClures pickles that have just enough spicy kick to them to perpetuate the cocktail consumption. The key to all of their dishes is fresh, local ingredients and tapas-sized portions that allows you to delicately hold your mini slider in one hand while giving a wave to the eligible looking group of guys {or girls} that just sidled up to the bar.
Which brings me to the other reason that W&N wins the favorite award. The space breeds social interaction with friends and strangers alike. Choose from standing or sitting at the bar, around pillars framed with drink sized ledges or communal tables that line the bar’s perimeter, but regardless of where you camp out, you are inevitably likely to strike up a conversation with other Grandma/pa-loving drinkers looking for a good night out. It’s casual, but lively, and the later you stay, the more likely you are to strike up a conversation from the shear result of rubbing elbows with the group next to you, as the bar tends to stay crowded into the wee hours.
The Skim: If you’re young and single and looking for a good night out, pay a visit to Wilfie & Nell. It’s charming, it’s rustic and most importantly they serve good drinks and Irish grub with the same welcoming friendliness that you would expect across the pond. It’s awfully likely you won’t go home empty handed either if you play your cards right. {228 West 4th St., btw 7 th Ave & West 10th St.}
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