Red booths and set dining tables at the new BBQ restaurant in Tribeca, Holy Ground

Grandlife guide

Tribeca's New BBQ Restaurant with Old New York Charm

back to list

Good things take time. The team behind New York’s newest barbeque restaurant, Holy Ground, know this intimately. Two years, a decade, perhaps even a lifetime in the making, the upscale speakeasy-style bar and steakhouse located in a basement on Reade Street in Tribeca opened its doors a little over a month ago, and if you ask us, it is every bit worth the wait. “We took over the lease for this space in October 2016, so almost two years ago,” co-founder/chef/pitmaster Franco Vlasic says. “We got to work on it right away, completely gutted it. The existing layout was very different so we had to take everything out, opened up a wall over there, took space from the kitchen…” Along with partners Nathan Lithgow (Café Altro Paradiso, Sauvage) and restaurateur Matt Abramcyk (Tiny’s, Yves, Smith & Mills), Vlasic has cultivated an experience that is deeply rooted in the history of American barbecue whilst also offering something all of its own.

It is mid-August when we visit, a notoriously quiet time in the city owing to a large portion of residents up and leaving for the coastline, but at Holy Ground, you wouldn’t know it. The restaurant is suitably packed for this time of year with diners enthusiastically tucking into plates of grilled red prawns, pork belly, seasonal vegetables, Wagyu brisket by the half- or full pound, and slow-smoked ribs (the latter two have been fast favorites, Vlasic notes) whilst sipping pre-prohibition style cocktails formulated by Matthew Hunter, formerly of Eleven Madison Park. “The cocktails are a throwback to Old School New York speakeasy-type drinking,” Vlasic says. You would not know it was 2018, either. The sense of place defined by dim-lighting, wood-paneled walls, maroon leather banquettes, red damask wallpaper, vintage bric-a-brac, and a sultry, jazz-heavy soundtrack instantly transports you to an earlier part of the city’s history. “We wanted to create a barbecue style place that has the feel of an Old New York place in Tribeca that never existed but could have,” Vlasic explains. The team looked to classic New York City establishments like the 21 Club and Keens for inspiration.

Although Holy Ground may be Vlasic’s first endeavor into New York’s dining scene, the born and raised New Yorker has been an integral part of New York’s barbecue world for some time. What started as a backyard cook-up with mates about a decade ago eventually gave way to Fort Gansevoort BBQ, a bare-bones, hole-in-the-wall spot in the heart of Manhattan’s Meatpacking District. Next came Holy Ground pop-up, which operated out of a churchyard in Williamsburg on weekends. Needless to say, Holy Ground has been a long time coming and the passion and dedication injected into the restaurant along the way shows in everything from the food and drink to the fit out right down to the soundtrack, which as Vlasic notes, was also years in the making. “I’ve put together this playlist of thousands of songs. My family was tortured on holidays because I would be like, we’ve got to listen to this so I can weed through it all.”    

Holy Ground is located at 112 Reade St in Tribeca and is open for dinner Monday through Sunday with plans to open for brunch in the coming months.

Words Edwina Hagon

You May Also Like

Weekend's in Chelsea

Weekend's in Chelsea

art & design
coffee & cafés
food & drink
music
stories
From Yayoi Kusama at David Zwirner to a bookstore specializing in out-of-print art and photography tomes, explore the neighborhood with this curated guide.
The Queen’s Gambit: NYC’s Best Drag Bars

The Queen’s Gambit: NYC’s Best Drag Bars

art & design
bars & nightlife
stories
Eight of our favorite venues where talented queens give their own takes on drag every night of the week.
A Taste (& Tour) of Tribeca

A Taste (& Tour) of Tribeca

art & design
bars & nightlife
food & drink
stories
From a landmark liquor store turned menswear shop to farm-to-table dining in a three-story townhouse—our guide to the best spots to eat, drink, gallery hop and shop.
Escape From New York: Backyard Gardens Edition

Escape From New York: Backyard Gardens Edition

food & drink
restaurants
stories
The best of the city's coveted backyard dining scene.
Musician David Johansen in front of a red velvet curtain at Roxy Hotel.

One Night Only with David Johansen

entertainment
film
stories
"I just wanted to bring those walls down and have a party." David Johansen takes us inside his 'Personality Crisis'.
Five to Try: Best Bodegas Downtown

Five to Try: Best Bodegas Downtown

coffee & cafés
food & drink
stories
Whether you’re in the mood for a bacon-egg-and-cheese or a protein-packed smoothie, you’ll find it at these bodegas.
NYC’s Coolest Green Spaces

NYC’s Coolest Green Spaces

travel
wellness
stories
Downtown’s greenest and most lovely outdoor oasis’ to chill, play and soak up some rays this season.   
The Grandlife Guide For Theater Lovers

The Grandlife Guide For Theater Lovers

entertainment
stories
Curated picks for Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway shows plus theater-centric spots.
Choose Your Stay
logo-sg
The Hotel That Made Soho Grand
Meet Me At The Roxy
Book Now