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For book lovers, a good story pairs surprisingly well with a cocktail—or even a full meal. Across the country, bars and restaurants are taking their literary inspiration in very different directions. Some go all in on a beloved author or story, with book-inspired menus, cocktails and décor; others are tucked inside working bookstores, where you can browse the shelves before settling in with a glass of wine or an elegant meal. From an Edgar Allan Poe-themed tavern to a natural wine bar surrounded by thousands of used and rare books, these literary spots are worth bookmarking—pun intended.
Beginnings: Atlantic Beach, NY
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About an hour from Manhattan, Beginnings describes itself as “a literary, culinary experience,” but the buzzy Atlantic Beach spot is anything but stuffy. Come for brunch or dinner in the quaint book-lined dining room, where even the menu reads like a novel, with sections such as “Prologue,” “Plot Twist” and “Main Story.” Keep an eye on the events calendar, too: Beginnings regularly hosts themed tasting dinners, with multi-course menus and cocktail pairings inspired by books, authors, movies and pop culture. Recent themes have ranged from Hemingway to The Odyssey, and the restaurant also hosts book clubs and other literary events.
Book Club Bar: New York, NY
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In the heart of the East Village, the aptly named Book Club Bar is one part independent bookstore, one part espresso and cocktail bar. Browse the shelves for your next read, then settle in with a coffee or a drink—the owners built the place around the simple pleasure of sipping something good while getting lost in a book. The literary theme makes its way onto the cocktail menu, too, with playful drinks like the Murder on the Orient Espresso Martini. Come during the day for coffee and croissants, pop in for an afternoon reading session or stay into the evening, when the space takes on the feel of a neighborhood bar.
Riffraff Bookstore + Bar: Providence, RI
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With an impressive lineup of coffee, cocktails and books, Riffraff has everything you need for a leisurely afternoon or evening. The cozy Providence bookstore has a café and full bar tucked among its shelves, with the entire drinks menu available all day, so you can pair your latest read with a morning coffee, glass of wine, beer or cocktail. The selection changes regularly, and the shop also hosts a monthly book club that’s open to anyone—just show up ready to talk about the book and order a drink or snack from the bar.
Bar Pilar: Atlanta, GA
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Open only Friday and Saturday nights, the speakeasy-style Bar Pilar takes its name from Ernest Hemingway’s beloved fishing boat, with a portrait of the author keeping watch from behind the bar. The literary references continue on the cocktail menu: The Six Toed Cat is the bar’s clarified take on a Hemingway Daiquiri, the rum-and-grapefruit cocktail famously associated with the author; the Fitzgerald mixes vodka, gin, dry vermouth and pickled onion; and the Lost Generation combines rum, amaro, banana and citrus oil. Don’t sleep on the food, either—oysters, deviled eggs, and lobster rolls are among the snacks on offer.
Fiction Beer Company: Denver, CO
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Books aren’t just décor at Fiction Beer Company—they actually inspire what’s on tap. The Denver brewery has been serving what it calls “Liquid Literature” since 2014, with beers drawing their names and inspiration from well-known stories. Past and current pours include A Beer of Very Little Brain, inspired by Winnie the Pooh; Oh, the Things You’ll Brew, a nod to Oh, the Places You’ll Go; and Paul, inspired by Lonesome Dove. Settle into the book-filled taproom with a pint, or join one of several reading groups, which range from a horror book club to a decidedly adults-only “Smutty Book Club.”
Bad Animal: Santa Cruz, CA
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Dinner comes with some serious browsing at Bad Animal, a downtown Santa Cruz spot that combines a used-and-rare bookstore, a natural wine bar and an upscale bistro. Thousands of books line the cozy-chic space, while the kitchen turns out polished plates like miso cod. Bad Animal’s wine club takes the book-and-bottle pairing even further, matching monthly wines with food and literary picks—and including a book, too. Arrive early if you want time to browse before dinner; the bookstore opens ahead of the restaurant.
Wilde Bar & Restaurant: Chicago, IL
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Oscar Wilde fans can cozy up with a pint by the fireplace at this Irish-owned haunt in Chicago’s Lakeview East neighborhood, where a grand library and not one, but two antique bars set the scene. Open since 2007, Wilde leans into its namesake without sacrificing the pleasures of a proper neighborhood pub: Come for weekend brunch, evening drinks or hearty Irish favorites like fish and chips, and shepherd’s pie. Wash it all down with the Wilde Espresso Martini, made with espresso vodka, Kahlúa, Bailey and coffee. Bonus: There’s also an extensive gluten-friendly menu, with options ranging from mac and cheese to burgers and brunch favorites.
Allegory: Washington, D.C.
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Finding Allegory is part of the fun: The intimate speakeasy is tucked behind the Progressive Library inside the Eaton DC hotel. Once inside, look for the sprawling mural by artist Erik Thor Sandberg, which reimagines Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass through the story of Ruby Bridges, who desegregated New Orleans’ William Frantz Elementary School in 1960. That spirit of storytelling carries over to the cocktails, where creative twists on classics incorporate inventive culinary techniques. One thing to know before you go: Allegory doesn’t take reservations, and waits can stretch to two or three hours on busy nights.
Poe’s Tavern: Multiple Locations in GA, FL, and SC
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A homage to Edgar Allan Poe, Poe’s Tavern got its start in a circa-1920 cottage on Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina, just outside Charleston, where the writer was stationed at Fort Moultrie as a young U.S. Army private in 1827. Poe later set his short story The Gold-Bug on the island, making the beachy, laid-back tavern a fitting tribute. Inside, Poe’s likeness and literary references abound, extending all the way to the menu: Burgers have names like the Raven, Tell-Tale Heart and Annabel Lee. The original opened in 2003, and Poe’s Tavern has since added locations in Atlantic Beach, Florida; Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina; and Savannah, Georgia.
Bar Epilogue: New Orleans, LA
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You don’t have to leave the bookstore when happy hour rolls around at Bar Epilogue, a homey cocktail bar tucked inside New Orleans’ Garden District Book Shop. Grab a book and settle in among the shelves with one of the bar’s literature-inspired drinks, which have cheeky names like the Hungry Caterpillar and Romeo’s Ex. The intimate, book-filled setting is made for lingering, whether you’re reading solo over a cocktail or stopping in for a drink after browsing the shop.