When New York City’s NoMad Hotel succumbed to the pandemic and ceased operations in March 2021, it didn’t take long for another glamorous brand to swoop in on the stately Beaux-Arts building. The Ned NoMad (part of the exclusive, members-only Soho House group), a celeb-friendly retreat with English roots, made its New York City debut in July 2022, complete with a hotel, private club, public restaurant, and bar.
“What resonates with our members [are] consistent culinary concepts,” says Patrick Siegal, general manager at The Ned. It’s why the property’s restaurants serve a mix of familiar crowd pleasers, including a top-notch cacio e pepe, along with showstoppers such as steak flambéed tableside. “We want to touch on things that resonate with the most people,” Siegal adds. The result is a thoughtful dining program that is both intriguing and comforting, catering to first-time diners along with more seasoned club members.
The nerve center
The Ned’s premiere public restaurant, and the busiest one on the property, is Cecconi’s, an Italian phenom with an outpost in Dumbo. The all-day dining spot is known for luxe craft cocktails and decadent entrees, such as lobster-topped bucatini, filet mignon in porcini sauce, and black truffle and squash blossom pizza. Large windows allow plenty of light in the daytime and atmospheric city views at night. The dining room is expansive and buzzy, with a long bar in the middle of the space.
Cecconi’s also serves as the central kitchen for the entire property, meaning the restaurant’s dishes are offered across various concepts at The Ned. “We want to be known for developing signature dishes,” Siegal says. To wit, Cecconi’s chicken parmesan sticks are available as an intro to dinner at the hotel’s members-only section, The Club, or as a snack with drinks at Little Ned, the property’s cocktail bar.
Cocktails and dreams
Little Ned, which occupies the space of the former NoMad Bar, is open to both members and those staying at the hotel.
“The [NoMad Bar]’s reputation was a lot to live up to,” Siegal says. “We needed someone with a high caliber of drink making.” Enter Chris Moore, a mixologist classically trained at The Savoy in London, who uses the bilevel, 1920s-themed bar as his “playground.” Moore stirs up a fresh menu serving new riffs on classic cocktails such as the altar old-fashioned made with bourbon, Sauternes (a sweet French wine), and a few dashes of salted maple and chocolate bitters; he also crafts a killer negroni to pair with club fare including shrimp cocktail and oysters Rockefeller.
While Little Ned isn’t trying to mimic its beloved predecessor, Siegal is aware of the impact the NoMad bar had on the surroundings.
“It was such a neighborhood staple, people have come back and told us they’re so happy it’s back, they used to love to come here,” Siegal says. “It’s great to give that bar back to the neighborhood.”
Members only
The Ned’s members-only Club has downstairs and upstairs spaces that offer communal dining. The Mediterranean-style shared plates menu features halloumi croquettes and brick chicken with spicy yogurt. The dishes are meant for snacking while on late-afternoon video calls or fighting off jet lag.
Siegal refers to the upstairs as “a crown jewel of a roof.” Though there’s no pool, there are magnificent views of Manhattan, airy lounge areas, plus a private event space in a turret-like dome. In the winter months, the space will be tented.
Downstairs, The Club has an atrium, drawing room, and lounge. A stage with live music begins entertaining at 5 pm nightly. Members can also order drinks from other private spaces including The Main Club Bar, The Elephant Bar, and The Library; the last space was especially adored by NoMad Hotel regulars. “We didn’t want to change a good thing,” Siegal says. “The room was so gorgeous, it only needed a light touch.” Here, people can cozy up in dimly lit booths surrounded by floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, stocked with hardcover books.
Table theater
The Dining Room, The Ned’s reservations-only lunch and dinner restaurant, is exclusively for members. “It’s contemporary with classic, interactive and old school [influences],” says Siegal. “There’s a bit more action with tableside food preparation and service, which relieves the kitchen a bit, too.”
The elegant dining room, lined with cushioned floral banquettes and round tables set with white tablecloths and glass goblets, seats only 46. Dishes include Dover sole prepared tableside, steak Diane set on fire mere inches from the table, lobster Louise, baked Alaska, and more.
Whether you’re a member of this sophisticated, cosmopolitan retreat or a member of the public, there are plenty of ways to enjoy The Ned’s versatile complex.
“We’re here, still making good drinks, providing community with a high level of experience,” Siegal says.
Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner is a writer based in Brooklyn, where she lives with her wife and rescue dog. You can follow her on Instagram @melissabethk and Twitter @melissabethk
