Dante’s Cocktail Hour Playlist Pays Homage to Greenwich Village

The sights and sounds of Caffe Dante in New York’s Greenwich Village have ebbed and flowed since the historic building first opened on Macdougal Street in 1915. From its early Italian roots to the ’70s when legendary artists, poets, and musicians frequented the space, the New York City landmark has always held court as a cultural hub for the city.

When Linden Pride and Nathalie Hudson took over the space in 2015, they aimed to pay homage to the bar’s history and to the neighborhood by maintaining its convivial atmosphere, and music was integral to this effort. “Since Caffe Dante in Greenwich Village is surrounded by some of NYC’s best blues and jazz clubs, we wanted to incorporate music inspired by our immediate community,” says Pride. “These genres play so well in our space and within the neighborhood.”

Extensive research went into curating the playlists for the new iteration of the bar. “We specifically focused on lesser-known artists that had played in the area or had some sort of connection to Greenwich Village in 1960s-ish, as well as more iconic players of the time,” Pride says, noting Snooky Pryor, Aretha Franklin, Sharon Jones, Muddy Waters, and (Dante regular) Bob Dylan as examples of artists on regular rotation.

Here’s one of their best playlists to enjoy during your next cocktail hour at home.