Dead Rabbit Parlor menu ‘redefines hospitality’
New York bar The Dead Rabbit has unveiled its first annual drinks list for its upstairs Parlor venue, which is accompanied by a ‘lavishly illustrated’ hardback menu.
The menu is described as a year-long storytelling experience designed in collaboration with Irish agency Allies Creative Studio.
While the venue traditionally refreshes its menus every six months, this new drinks collection will last a year.
The Dead Rabbit’s beverage director Aidan Bowie explained the thought behind this new approach to The Spirits Business: “We wanted to produce a beautiful menu, similarly to what we have done in the past. It makes much more sense from our side to spend longer on R&D, get the drinks right, do the research and make something relevant for the entire year.”
The menu is structured into 10 categories, with each pairing a classic cocktail from The Dead Rabbit archives with a new ‘tomorrow’ drink, which has been born from ‘experimentation and forward thinking’. This is typically how The Dead Rabbit works on all of its menus across its venues, which include its taproom and Irish Exit.
“We use our product mix from the bars to determine what drinks are working well and which ones we can look at updating for future menus,” Bowie says. “For the Parlor, it’s important the drinks feel like a Dead Rabbit drink, while still keeping the team creative. It’s a good balance of making sure that the guest knows what they are ordering, not alienating anyone, and making sure it all still tastes delicious.”
The aim of this new menu, Bowie explains, is to bring excitement to the bar’s regular guests who have helped make The Dead Rabbit what it is today. “It is also a good nod to show how the cocktail industry has shaped over the past 12 years,” he says. “It’s a menu that shows our journey since we’ve been open.”
Allies has illustrated each drink on the menu using two contrasting styles – etched, sketchy strokes combined with bold marker tones – to represent the theme of ‘tradition meets tomorrow’. These sketches are printed in a hardback book, complete with foil-blocked cover, uncoated off-white stock, and a narrative flow that invites guests to ‘linger and explore’.
Menu design
Kevin McCaul and Emma Hetherington, co-founders of Allies, say the first creative spark that helped shape the visual concept of the menu was the theme itself. “That concept instantly sparked the design and visual thinking,” they tell The Spirits Business. “We needed to think in contrasts: the old and the new, the etched style meeting the expressive markers, the crafted established cocktails and the experimental ones. It was less about one moment or material and more about finding the right balance between memory and momentum.”
To balance the ideas of heritage with modernity in the illustrations and overall design, they chose to lean into the idea of contrast, blending the ideas rather than separating them.
“Each illustration uses two distinct styles layered together. One rooted in tradition, using etched, sketchy lines that feel old school and hand-drawn; the other is expressive and contemporary, using bold marker strokes and vibrant colours. The two styles co-exist within a single illustration, visually representing tradition meets tomorrow.
“That same balance runs through the overall design, too. The menu is hardback and foil-blocked, so it’s lovely and tactile and timeless. Then the layout, typography, and the bold colours feel modern. It was all about the dialogue between their heritage and modernity.”
The duo note that the project has been a “proper partnership” with The Dead Rabbit team. Open and collaborative communication throughout allowed them the creative freedom to interpret the narrative and push it further. “They brought the drinks and storytelling expertise, and we brought the visual storytelling and design. We always have a shared goal to create something meaningful, and to keep showcasing the best of Irish hospitality and design.”
They add: “They really understand the power of design and storytelling – we’re Irish after all, that’s what we’re known for – and the trust they gave us made all the difference. We were always in a regular conversation, bouncing ideas, refining layout. There was a shared ambition to make something that felt bigger than just a menu.”
Of course, a project like this comes at a great cost for the venue. However, The Dead Rabbit team believes this approach to physical menu curation brings “a ton of value.”
“The production of this menu certainly cost a lot,” Bowie explains, “from R&D costs, staff wages, production and working with our partners Allies, all these things add up.”
However, he says, “working with the team on coming up with the drinks and giving them a sense of ownership of the final product is really important for staff buy-in. Working with a company like Allies to put all of our word vomit into a stunning, concise and functional menu that both guests and staff love is really rewarding.”
McCaul and Hetherington add: “We approached [this menu] like a book you’d want to keep coming back to. The hardback format and tactile finishes give it that lasting quality, but the real longevity comes from the storytelling inside. Each cocktail isn’t just named and described; it has a backstory. We gave each drink its own spread, with a short narrative that links it to either the past or the future or some of its quirks.
“Visually, there’s a lot to engage with, too. The illustrations are full of detail, with ingredients illustrated around each drink, giving guests a visual taste of what’s to come.”
The Allies founders believe this style of collaboration demonstrates there is a space for depth and storytelling in hospitality design. “After the past few years of digital-first and QR codes, there’s space now for things that feel slower and more intimate. It’s all down to what the place stands for. I think the best hospitality design going forward will look like this – emotionally led, rooted in identity, and really connecting with the guests.”
Earlier this year, we explored how bars worldwide are putting a greater focus on producing stunning cocktail menus that add panache to their offerings.
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