New Ruby’s Vintage Harlem

This cocktail and wine bar serving small plates takes its name from its location. Brian Washington-Palmer, Harlem restaurateur, and Nikoa Evans-Hendricks, an expert in commercial development, discovered that the actress Ruby Dee was raised in the building.

The Amsterdam News reported that “Ruby Dee was a trailblazing artist and activist who was deeply committed to family, preserving our culture and making the world more just and inclusive,” said Evans-Hendricks. Washington-Palmer continued, “we wanted to create a space where the next generation of artists, entrepreneurs, activists and business leaders can come uptown to extend their evening in a cool, fun and sexy environment.”

What they have created is very now, especially when it comes to small plates like an updated Reuben sandwich and drinks made with miso syrup and kale juice, with décor firmly rooted in the midcentury-modern aesthetic.

Ruby’s Vintage Harlem, 2340 Seventh Avenue (137th Street), Harlem, New York, 212-234-1833, rubysvintageharlem.com.