12 Literary-Themed Restaurants and Bars Across America
When Richard Miller and John Moritz unveiled Barkowski, the Charles Bukowski–themed bar that opened in Santa Monica on Friday, fans of the misanthropic poet pointed out that, although he was an infamous alcoholic, Bukowski probably would have shunned the “upscale dive” that bears his name.
Authors and alcohol often go together, of course: F. Scott Fitzgerald, William Faulkner and Tennessee Williams were among the many great writers whose creative juices must have been 100 proof. Bars and restaurants have been using that connection for inspiration (and free publicity) ever since, from the highbrow Virginia Woolf to the pulpy horror master H.P. Lovecraft.
We surveyed 12 literary-themed establishments around the country that tout their bookish inspiration—whether or not the writers themselves would be seen there.
Wikipedia user Shadle1/12Vesuvio Café, San Francisco
Down the street from San Francisco’s iconic City Lights bookstore, Vesuvio Café is a bookish bar that actually earned some of its literary credentials: Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg were regulars in the ‘50s, a fact the owners celebrate by covering the walls with Beat Generation memorabilia. A popular spot for locals as well as tourists looking to soak up some history, Vesuvio also serves as a museum and event space for local artists. But the best show is the people-watching from the second floor gallery. Grab a seat and sip an Anchor Steam in the footsteps of some literary greats.
iInstagram user @eat2632/12The 263, Austin, Texas
Take the Vesuvio Café, squeeze it through the funnel of Austin’s new-bohemian hipsterdom, and you get The 263, a Lakehills restaurant that plays homage to Kerouac, Ginsberg, William Burroughs, and, further afield, Tom Waits. The lunch menu offers themed sandwiches like the “On the Road” (corned beef, provolone, sauerkraut) as well as more Austin-centric fare (think breakfast tacos). If you’re headed on the road yourself, you can pick up snacks and supplies in the “provisions” section, which includes the requisite Kerouac knickknacks.
Courtesy of The Lovecraft3/12The Lovecraft, Portland, Oregon
Portland’s only “horror themed dance bar” pays tribute to the nightmare world of H.P. Lovecraft, from the pentagram on the ceiling and the tentacle murals on the walls to the Cthulu cocktail, appropriately absinthe-green. Quotes from the master of horror are showcased in the bathroom, for some light reading. You can also find a rubbing from Lovecraft’s grave, taken in his Providence, Rhode Island, resting place and brought to the West Coast by one of the bar’s regulars.
Courtesy of Onegin4/12Onegin, New York City
Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky might be more widely read, but Alexander Pushkin is the creator of Russia’s modern novel. Onegin, in Manhattan’s West Village, is a love letter to the country’s literary hero, named for one of his most famous characters. The menu, heralded as “Russian fusion,” offers gussied-up versions of traditional dishes like pierogi and chicken Kiev as well as a selection of infused vodkas. With silver candelabras and tufted wallpaper, the décor conjures up 19th-century St. Petersburg; the tables covered with writerly scribblings make it seem as if Pushkin just stepped away from his desk.
Courtesy of The Dalloway5/12The Dalloway, New York City
The name tips its hat to Virginia Woolf’s highbrow novel, but this NYC bar is just as trendy as it is literary. Sure, there’s a cozy fireplace surrounded by books and a cocktail menu with suggestions like the Windsor Tea (sour mash, tea, lemon, sugar cane), but you’ll also find D.J. nights with big names like Samantha Ronson. So why the Bloomsbury theme? It’s a likely a nod to Woolf’s illicit romance with another author, Vita Sackville-West; the bar caters to a lesbian clientele. The original Soho location closed in October, but the owners plan to reopen in the Lowest East Side in 2014.
Flickr user mlinksva6/12The Hobbit Café, Houston, Texas
Eating six square meals a day, hobbits are famous for their love of food, so it’s no surprise that several restaurants around the country have taken inspiration from the Lord of the Rings gastronomes*,* including The Hobbit in Orange, California, and Bilbo Baggins in Alexandria, Virginia. But the bohemian Hobbit Café in Houston sets itself apart by its dedication to the Tolkien theme, with Gandalf portraits, cabinets full of figurines, and an entire menu full of Middle-Earth references. The restaurant has offered primarily vegetarian fare since it opened in 1972. When you’re ready for second breakfast, stop by for a smoothie like the Mithril Mix (strawberry, banana, pineapple) or the Mount Gunabald Coconut.
Condé Nast Archives7/12The Algonquin Round Table Room, New York City
Since it opened in 1902, the Algonquin Hotel has played host to New York’s literary elite, but it wasn’t until 1919 that writers like Dorothy Parker and James Thurber began regularly meeting there for lunch, eventually launching the first issue of The New Yorker. The hotel’s renovated restaurant doesn’t include the same roundtable where those authors gathered, but it still emphasizes the room’s literary history by serving dishes taken from the hotel’s vintage menus, as well as offering regular author readings in the lobby.
Courtesy Alice's Tea Cup8/12Alice's Tea Cup, New York City
A mind-bending Alice in Wonderland–inspired restaurant chain made headlines when it opened in Japan in 2011, but Alice’s Tea Cup has been doing the same thing on a smaller scale for over a decade, with three locations in Manhattan celebrating Lewis Carroll’s creation. The whimsically girly decorations and mismatched china transport diners into the Mad Hatter’s tea party, minus the doormouse. Although they serve sandwiches and tea throughout the day, scones are the house specialty, available in a variety of seasonal flavors and served with a healthy dollop of clotted cream.
Angela Garbot9/12Wilde Bar & Restaurant, Chicago
"Love and gluttony justifies everything,” wrote Oscar Wilde, a man of epicurean tastes—particularly where food and drink were concerned. You can satisfy your own gluttonous impulses at this Chicago pub, which honors the Irish writer in name as well as in a massive, Warhol-inspired portrait hung over the fireplace. Some of Wilde’s famously witty quips adorn the walls of a small library, where you can enjoy selections from the extensive beer list (although true Wilde fans would demand his favorite, champagne).
Courtesy The Bard's Town10/12The Bard’s Town, Louisville, Kentucky
Did Shakespeare eat bar food? He does at The Bard’s Town in Louisville, where Much Ado About Empanadas and Two Noble Crab Cakes are some of the dozens of playwright puns on the menu. After a fellowship at Shakespeare’s Globe in London, co-owner Doug Schutte opened the space, which houses both a restaurant and a theater, in 2009. Appetizers (or “prologues”) include themed versions of pub fare, and all sandwiches are served with Merry Fries of Windsor. Test your knowledge of the bard during weekly trivia nights or see what’s playing on the stage, which is home to several local theater companies.
Courtesy Hemingway's Lounge11/12Hemingway’s Lounge, Los Angeles
Ernest Hemingway was famous for enjoying his liquor; one of his favorite drinks—a variation on a daiquiri with grapefruit and maraschino—even bears his name. And you’ll find it on the cocktail menu at Hemingway’s Lounge, which opened in Hollywood in 2010. Bartender Alex Straus’s seasonal cocktails are named after Papa’s most famous works, like the Moveable Feast (rye, sage, honey, lemon, and bitters) and the Sun Also Rises (gin, chartreuse, basil, and cucumber). The vintage typewriters and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves evoke a writer’s study—although Hemingway’s probably would have had more hunting trophies on display.
Courtesy Pittypat's Porch12/12Pittypat’s Porch, Atlanta, Georgia
When Scarlett O’Hara arrives in Atlanta in Gone with the Wind, she’s warmly welcomed by Aunt Pittypat, one of the few to show sympathy for the down-and-out Southern belle. Pittypat’s Porch, in Atlanta, was inspired by that sense of hospitality, but the theme goes much further—from the posters of Vivian Leigh to a menu that includes Rhett's Mixed Grill and Scarlett’s Peach Lemonade (“Scarlett's favorite cocktail made from her secret recipe”). Modeled after antebellum architecture, a rocking chair lounge overlooks the dining room, in case you’d like to sip a julep while contemplating the restaurant’s selection of taxidermy.
