Zip City Restaurant and Brewery

New York, NY

Design for a pioneering brewpub

From day one, this theatrical juxtaposition of historic and modern in New York City’s Flatiron District was a Manhattan hot spot, packed nightly after a complete renovation of the raw space by Fradkin & McAlpin. It was the first brewpub in Manhattan and one of the few in the country to put the brewing out front. Young people crowded around its U-shaped inlaid-maple bar—newly created in the vintage spirit of the early 19th-century interior—and jockeyed for tables in both open spaces and quieter nooks. Polished copper brewing tanks occupied center stage in the middle of the room, visible from all corners. With spotlights glinting on the tanks and lighting up the vaulted ceiling, Zip City was high drama and became the model for other brewpubs around the country.

Key details

• Used lighting to showcase the view of tanks from outside as well as inside
• Obtained the complex New York City approvals required for first-of-its-kind mixed-use project
• Optimized the layout to accommodate the largest possible number of patrons
• Added a mezzanine for dramatic additional floor area and seating
• Collaborated with the brewing equipment’s Austrian manufacturer to showcase a custom tap system

Fact Sheet (136 KB PDF)