Iconic concert venue Cafe du Nord has been on pause since January, thanks to the construction work needed to bring the 106-year-old venue and adjoining Swedish-American Hall up to code. But the finish line is finally nearing, with the Du Nord revamp plotting a late-fall opening, and releasing the first details on the menu, cocktails, and redesign. As previously discussed, those will come from Ne Timeas Restaurant Group (Flour + Water, Central Kitchen, Salumeria) and the Bon Vivants (Trick Dog), and night owls will be pleased to learn that the new Du Nord plans to serve food and cocktails until 2 am every single night of the week. But they might be less pleased to know that while Du Nord will still have live music, it's really going to be more of a restaurant and bar than a concert venue.
On the comestibles side, Thomas McNaughton and the Ne Timeas folks are planning an "approachable bar menu" with snacks like salt-cod croquettes, razor clams with salsa verde, and (wait for it...) a burger. The Bon Vivants have devised cocktails that include a tequila punch and a mezcal-chile-cassis number, and will offer a full selection of beer, wine, and spirits as well.
The updated Cafe du Nord space will actually be divided in half: the front part of the space will feature the original 25-seat bar, as well as some bar tables for another 20 or so people, while the rear area, near the stage, will be a more traditional dining room with seating for 40. But don't expect to come to Du Nord for rock shows anymore: the new musical focus will be "impromptu intimate entertainment acts" like acoustic sessions from local artists and "unannounced sets by well-known musicians." Diners in the rear won't have to pay to see these shows, though it's unclear if bar attendees will have to cough up cash, or where they'll sit (there's a small five-seat bar in the back room, but that's it for seated non-dining space). Overall, the design has been reoriented towards how the space would look in the '30s and '40s, with vintage wallpaper, Deco light fixtures, and an Art Nouveau mural. Look for it to arrive sometime in November or December.
· Flour + Water, Bon Vivants Revamping Du Nord's Kitchen [~ ESF ~]
· Cafe du Nord Closing For Renovations on January 20 [~ ESF ~]
· Cafe du Nord Changing Ownership, Will Still Have Music [~ ESF ~]
