For over 100 years, Dante’s is one of Greenwich village’s most beloved stomping grounds.
In 1915 Caffe Dante opened its doors on McDougal street as a modest coffeehouse in what was known at that time as the South Village, an Italian neighborhood.
The period between 1900-1914 saw two million Italian immigrants arrive in New York.
McDougal street was home to artists, writers and musicians: Eugene O’Neill, Sinclair Lewis, E. E. Cummings, Ernest Hemingway and many others. The Beatnik Generation thrived here.
It was a place for espresso, pastries, conversation and a connection space to gather, share stories of home and politics and build community in a new world.
Inside the cream and leather window banquettes are the best seats, but they were once reserved for the widows of the mafia that used to frequent Dante’s at four p m. Mobsters Vinnie “the chin” Gagante and Jimmy Lollipops were frequent customers.
Regular patrons today include Al Pacino, Jerry Seinfeld, Bob Dylan, Alec Baldwin and others.
In 2019 it was rated the Best Bar in the World and is famous for its cocktails: martinis, Manhattans, Pimms, and Negronnis (European apertivo).
Now a registered New York City landmark, Dante’s has offered a taste of home to generations of Italian-Americans, locals, regulars, visitors.
Dante’s is emblematic of immigrant stories, how Italian immigrants carved out spaces for community, belonging and cultural continuity in a new country.
What began as a humble espresso spot became part of the fabric of Greenwich Village life.
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