Panela, a Latin-inspired restaurant situated at 36 Newark Street in downtown Hoboken, recently introduced its latest development, a new speakeasy-style Agave bar called Perico. Perico features over 50 cocktails made with Casamigos and Agave spirits and is operated within the basement bar of Panela. The speakeasy opened officially on November 9th and is now open from Thursday through Saturday, starting at 5PM. Read on to learn more about Perico, now open in Hoboken.
The Opening
In mid-October, Perico took to Instagram to announce its newest addition that was coming soon to downtown Hoboken. The post read, “PERICO is the newest addition to downtown Hoboken, opening in November 2023! We are an Agave Bar featuring signature cocktails built with a range of expressions from Casamigos. Followed by a large selection of Agave spirits, and twists on all the classic cocktails. In addition to the carefully selected drinks, we will be offering light bites for those who get a little peckish! Reservations are required to experience this underground world of Agave, so keep an eye out for our launch.”
On November 9th, the speakeasy officially opened in the basement bar of Panela. The speakeasy is open at 36 Newark Street in Hoboken from Thursday through Saturday, starting at 5PM. Walk-ins are acceptable but parties of six or more have to make a reservation.
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About Perico
Perico is an offshoot of Panela, a Latin fusion restaurant serving small plates/shareables, entree dishes, and mocktails. The restaurant rebranded to Panela from Monroe’s Hoboken on September 21st, 2022, which was an American Fusion restaurant with a speakeasy of its own, known as The Sinatra Room. Panela pays homage to the diverse cultures of Latin American countries, with cocktail curator Mariano Gordillo leading the drink menu, and Chef Vaughn Nunez running the kitchen. When Panela first rebranded, the plan was to keep the space of the former speakeasy as solely an event space. However, due to the ease of converting the space into a speakeasy, Perico came to life.
Perico is a hidden speakeasy, where agave spirits blends are offered alongside the bar’s spin on classic cocktails and signature drinks that take on each expression of Casamigos. Casamigos is a brand of tequila that has Blanco (unaged), Reposado (aged), and Anejo (extra-aged) versions, and are known for smoothness and quality. Agave is a plant found in Mexico and the Southern US that is often harvested for its sap, which is processed to create sweeteners or fermented to make alcoholic beverages.
The speakeasy’s aesthetic has a tropical Latin vibe, featuring murals with neon highlights covering the walls to transport customers back to the 80s in the hideout in Latin America. The murals portray animals typically found in the jungle and trees displayed on the walls, and were created by local artist @juaneme1. Customers will also find an assortment of plants scattered throughout the bar, enhancing the vibrant tropical scene.
The tropical-inspired theme extends to the drinks. The menu contains over 50 cocktails and tequila options to choose from and the staff recommend certain tequilas based on preference. One of the featured drinks is the Casamigos Blanco, which is infused with butterfly pea flower, Monkey 47 gin, italicus, berries, grapefruit, and homemade lavender tea. There is also a craft cocktail menu that is specially curated. Customers are also welcome to a delectable choice of traditional drinks like an old-fashioned or a martini.
The presentation of the drinks is just as show-stopping as the beverages themselves, served with either flowers or citrus fruits, tailored to complement each specific beverage. Alongside its diverse drink menu, Perico supplies light bites to fill the palette. Some of the light bites which can also be found in the dining area include the chicharron platter, empanadas, pulled pork slider, guac and chips, honey garlic wings, garlic shrimp, and pinehos de pollo. Full meals from the restaurant are exclusively available in the upstairs dining room.
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The dining menu reflects the diverse cuisine of South America, such as plantains, vegan ceviche, and mussels. Some other menu items include quesadillas, surf n’ turf, chicken, steak, and fish entrees. Additionally, appetizers span from chips and guacamole to other selections like empanadas and nachos. For more information regarding Perico, visit the company’s website and Instagram.
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