Kabin

If Rolf’s is where you go when you wish it were Christmas, then Kabin is where you go when you wish it were Midsommar. At this upscale Hudson Square cocktail bar—inspired by Nordic culture in general, and Norway in particular—you can debate the proper pronunciation of “hygge” with your date under free-standing wood rafters that suggest the countryside cabin of its name.

There isn’t much else that’s rustic about Kabin, which makes enthusiastic use of antlers, branches, candles, and just about every shade of gray distinguishable to the human eye, but with an overall effect that's less gothic lair and more chic, business-class lounge at the Oslo airport.

The crisp Kolio, Kabin’s signature aquavit cocktail, is salty and herbaceous: the blonde, blue-eyed Scandinavian cousin of a martini. Then there’s the tart and refreshing Lillesand, a ruby-red gin, pisco, and lingonberry spritz that comes with what we can best describe as a flavor stamp on the outside of the glass—a tart, sugary circle that reminds us a little of a scratch-and-sniff sticker. The limited food menu features regionally appropriate dishes like the Fiskekaker ($23), a golden-brown fried fish cake with a mustardy remoulade, a bright-green drizzle of celery-adjacent lovage oil, and a salty scoop of caviar. It’s enjoyable, but keep in mind that while the plates are small, the prices are not. Three pleasantly smoky Swedish meatballs are $20, a sum that could probably fetch you a lifetime supply at IKEA.