The West Village has no shortage of places to drink, but Keepers NYC is making a strong case that you can never have too many—especially when pizza is involved.
Keepers is now open at 34 8th Avenue, bringing a new neighborhood bar and pizza joint to the West Village from the team behind Dandelion. The concept takes inspiration from old New York taverns, but swaps the predictable bar snacks for sizzling thin-crust pies and a cocktail list that takes Negronis very seriously.
The approximately 40-seat space channels a nostalgic 1970s and ’80s New York aesthetic, with retro details, warm wood, vintage-inspired décor and vinyl spinning in the background. It occupies the former Arthur & Sons Italian American Club, giving the new bar a little neighborhood history before the first pizza even hits the table.
And then there’s the pizza.
Keepers specializes in thin, crispy bar-style pies, developed with pizza veteran Louis Tomczak. The menu includes playful options like the Vodka Chicky Parm, topped with vodka sauce and crispy chicken cutlet, the Chicagoland with sausage and giardiniera, and the Shore Thing, featuring lump crab.
Basically, this isn’t the place to order a plain cheese slice and call it a night.
The drinks are equally important. Beverage director Ricky Dolinsky has built a cocktail program centered around Negronis, alongside spritzes and frozen drinks. There are enough variations to make ordering “the usual” a dangerous commitment.
For anyone searching for new West Village restaurants, NYC pizza, thin-crust pizza in Manhattan, Negronis or new NYC bars, Keepers is officially one to know.
Come for the pie.
Stay because you accidentally ordered another Negroni.
That’s how they keep you.
