Housed in a renovated 1930s soda factory in central Williamsburg, is Bathhouse: a wellness space with a bar, restaurant and subteranean spa, inspired by Scandinavian saunas and Europe's ancient bathhouses.
In a city famous for its hustle and bustle, New Yorkers aren't short of decadent spaces in which to relax. The latest addition to the scene is Bathhouse, a chic-luxury subterranean spa inspired by the ancient bathhouses and hammams of Europe but with modern services and a programme designed by industry experts who previously worked in-house for the Brooklyn Nets and the New York City Football Club.
Designed by co-founders Travis Talmadge and Jason Goodman in collaboration with Jennifer Carpenter of Verona Carpenter Architects (whose previous work includes the headquarters of Adidas and Converse), the spa is housed in the building that was once home to the Brooklyn Bottling Company and Dr Brown’s Soda. You can still see its previous owners' presence in the form of the preserved vaulted ceilings, original brickwork and a former 100ft-tall smokestack, which now serves as a private ritual bath area.
Bathhouse’s treatments include thermal pools, private massages, professional stretching, invigorating scrubs, hammam experiences, cryotherapy and a sensory deprivation tank filled with Epsom salts. At the forefront of the space is a custom dark aqua and white Roman bathhouse-inspired mural created by Brooklyn-based artist and illustrator Amit Greenberg.
Bathhouse also offers a street-level restaurant and bar helmed by New York restaurateur and designer Akiva Elstein. It's a bright, plant-filled space that offers a seasonal menu inspired by Northern and Eastern European cuisine. Dishes include gulf shrimp with yuzu aioli, bitter greens salad with dates and sunflower seeds, black bass with parsnip, kale and puffed quinoa, and crispy chicken skin with farmer’s cheese and salmon roe. The bar serves cocktails featuring homemade shrubs and hand-infused vodkas with local herbs and spices.
Bathhouse is easily accessible from the Williamsburg Bridge and is pretty close to the newly opened Domino Park overlooking the East River.
