A few weeks back, our team voyaged from the Brooklyn Navy Yard across the East River, through the Financial District, and up to Midtown to report on Hurricane Tourist: A category five nor’easter expected to pulverize Rockefeller Center for most of December. Upon arrival, we saw what we expected: too many people on sidewalks, increased Nuts 4 Nuts purchases, and a two-block line at Magnolia Bakery. But eventually we found something new, smart, and really, really enjoyable: A breakfast sandwich-tasting, coupe-sized cocktail at Pebble Bar. We found the eye of the storm.
The brainchild of Pebble Bar’s head bartender, Tim Sweeney, the cocktail in question—which they’ve aptly named ‘The Pebble Egg & Cheese’—translates NYC’s most iconic breakfast sandwich into a riff on a traditional whiskey sour. And, thanks to every one of the drink’s ingredients being fully delicious, it really works.
Photo by Pebble Bar
But, as you know, it takes a village to make a breakfast sandwich you can drink. In this case, that means tapping Black Seed Bagels to collect their surplus bagels and ship them off to New York’s Matchbook Distilling so the spirit maker could brew a bagel-based Eau-de-Vie. It also means looping in Vital Farms so you have quality eggs driving the drink’s shaken, egg-white foam topping. And lastly, you need Sweeney to mix it all together with bacon-infused bourbon—creating a drink that’s bright, savory, and ideal at the beginning of a long, winter’s night.
In short, if you’re seeking shelter from Midtown’s holiday-induced chaos, pop into Pebble Bar. Then sip on your breakfast. Maybe order an oyster or six. And then, maybe—maybe—wait in line for something.