Hail Lilith

Lilith, the first wife of Adam, was never interested in wifely obedience. Instead, Jewish folklore says she followed her own path and was banished from the Garden of Eden. Contemporary culture holds Lilith as something of a dark, feminine icon dedicated to being who she wanted to be. At Hail Lilith, a den-like bar and vegan diner, that’s basically the idea, too.

Among the venue’s ’90s alternative, goth-like styling (one wall is a decoupage of occult images), Hail Lilith is a fun and friendly space for bourbon-heavy cocktails, vegan food and burlesque performances. For the menu, co-owners Bek Cornish and Tania Murdocco (who is also the chef) have pitched Hail Lilith somewhere between cheap-and-cheerful vegan fast food and upscale diners like Smith & Daughters and Transformer.

On the high side there’s ‘nduja gnocchi with vegan pork from Vincent Vegetarian Food; a 24-hour brined, roasted and seasoned watermelon tartare with a vegan yolk on top; and mushroom ceviche of king brown mushroom stalks. At the other end is a vegan cheeseburger with a plant-based V2 patty and liquid cheese sauce for dipping.

Drinks are mostly rich and bourbon-heavy (there are 24 types behind the bar) like the namesake Hail Lilith, a blend of bourbon, vanilla vodka, black cherry and pomegranate. Lighter options include the Hot Goth Summer, a Paloma-like cocktail of tequila, grapefruit and sweet lime syrup.