Five Hours at Five and Dime, the Downtown Bar That’ll Take You From Day to Night

Five and Dime (8 Park Pl.) is whatever you need it to be. Open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weeknights, the Lower Manhattan spot is part coffeeshop, part cocktail bar and a total vibe. 

Situated in the lobby of the Woolworth Building, the Cass Gilbert–designed neo-Gothic skyscraper (the tallest in the world at its time of completion in 1913), the bar’s name is a nod to the building’s namesake — retail magnate Frank Woolworth founded Woolworth’s department stores, colloquially known as “Five and Dimes” in the late 19th century. The bar’s interior is moody and rich with ample seating, featuring dramatic vaulted ceilings, leather banquettes, marble tabletops and brass detailing that matches the opulence of the Gilded Age.

We spent five hours during the workday at Five and Dime. Here’s how it went:

12 p.m.

After our morning meetings, it’s time for some coffee and to catch up on emails. We sit inside and have the place mostly to ourselves. There is also an outdoor seating option for days with nicer weather, which is perfect for laptop-wielding patrons looking for a little sunshine. 

1 p.m.

We order a turkey burger at the bar, and within 15 minutes it arrives via bike courier from nearby Burger Village (120 Church St.). We appreciate the many menu options for dietary restrictions — in addition to a regular burger or chicken sandwich, there’s also a salmon burger and black bean burger available (as are gluten-free buns). There was also a pizza on the menu that we decide we’ll have to try next time.

2 p.m.

An iced coffee is needed after lunch, and the nitro cold brew does not disappoint. It comes in a big pint glass and is delicious. The pastries and baked goods from Balthazar also look delicious, but we are too full from lunch to try this time. A group of straight-from-the-office folks stop by for a coffee meeting, and another couple of professional looking people appear to be meeting for a job interview. 

3 p.m.

Happy hour starts at 3 p.m. and runs through 6 p.m., with some wines, beers and cocktails available for a few bucks off, and we do see people begin to order drinks promptly at 2:59 p.m. To signal the transitional vibe shift, the music grows slightly louder, a projector screen rolls down over a window and the French New Wave cinema begins to play silently in the background.

4 p.m.

At this point in the afternoon, the clientele is a bustling mix of post-and-during work drinkers, with folks indulging in beers, wines and cocktails like the Hopelessly Inquisitive (Conniption Kinship purple gin, crème de violette, St. Germain, lime, Fee Foam) and the Carole Baskin (Evan Williams bourbon whiskey, rose, lemon), along with the classics. The soundtrack — throwback songs from the early aughts plus ambient noise of cocktail shakers behind the bar working double time — makes it even livelier.

5 p.m.

With all the people-watching, the last hour of work goes by quickly. Finally time to signify the end of the workday with a drink! One gimlet and one old fashioned, coming right up. Next time we’ll stay even longer — we’ve been dreaming about that Carole Baskin.