A Close-Up On The Third Man, A New Cocktail Lounge From The Edi & The Wolf Team

The newest addition to NYC's ever-expanding cocktail scene is The Third Man, now serving modern takes on the classics in Alphabet City. The early 20th century Vienna-themed bar, named for the 1949 noir flick starring Orson Welles, opened yesterday just half a block away from Edi & the Wolf, the other Austrian-centric spot operated by owners Eduard Frauneder and Wolfgang Ban. As you can see, the joint's affecting a rustic farmhouse vibe with earthy colors, deep green banquettes, exposed brick, and exposed wooden beams.

Cocktails and small bites are prepared with fastidious attention to detail, and house-made ingredients abound.Try the "Triest," which mixes myrtle berry liqueur and fernet into a five-spice mulled cider, as an antidote to the cold weather or the zingy "Chesterfield" with gin, fresh lime and ginger juices, house-made grenadine and tonic water. Cheese and house-cured charcuterie plates are great for sharing, as are the small dishes like chicken liver terrine, pork crackling and a pumpkin seed-ricotta spread served with pickled butternut squash and walnut bread.

Open Monday through Sunday from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m.

116 Avenue C //212-598-1040