Vessel, the cocktail bar in ever-expanding Baltimore Peninsula that opened in October, isn’t the easiest place to find. But once you walk through the lobby of the Roost, a hotel-apartment building hybrid, and take the elevator to the third floor and enter, its proprietors hope that you’ll feel like you’ve been whisked away on vacation.
“We like to describe it as a nautical escape,” says Brookes Decker, director of operations for Method Co., which operates Vessel. “The cocktail program is a riff on tiki drinks. The design of the bar itself is almost like inside of a yacht, with mahogany woods, banners, and flags. It’s a little bit of escapism, in a classical loungey kind of way.”
That suspension of disbelief is much easier in warmer weather, when a large patio opens overlooking the Patapsco River, Under Armour’s new arena-like headquarters, and a pool that’s for Roost guests and residents. An open garage door transforms the bar from half a rectangle to a full one, and people can drink under the sun or in cabanas.
Still, the space is exceedingly comfortable in the colder months, as well. When we visited on a weekday night in February, we warmed our toes from a sofa in front of a fireplace.
Other couches, plush chairs and a longer, conference-room sized table were occupied by small groups or solo patrons, some of whom were working on their computers. The spacious interior feels more hotel-like or a supersized coffee shop than a classic bar, but there are some more standard cocktail tables and stools at the bar.
The drinks we tried were on point. The Mint Condition, vodka-based with pineapple, benedictine, lime, and just the right amount of mint, was bright both aesthetically and taste-wise. A Pinwheel, with Reposado tequila, Pamplemousse (a grapefruit liqueur), and lime was strong but smooth. The most popular drink is the Pain Management, a rum-based concoction with pineapple, orange juice, and coconut cream that’s a take on a traditional Pain Killer.
Vessel’s food offerings, which frequently change, are minimal, designed more for snacking than meals.
“The theme is that you can get things from any port along your journey,” Decker says. “The charcuterie board would be if you pulled into a port in Italy. We have hummus so if you’re pulling into a port in the Mediterranean. We’ve had tinned fish, we’ve had crab cakes, shrimp here and there.”
During our visit, the smell of Thai curry wings permeated the place. Our charcuterie board was excellent, with a variety of cheeses, meats, pickles, marinated olives and bread that was more than enough to sate two appetites.
Vessel has hosted several events, including live jazz, deejays on Friday nights, trivia, and salsa nights on the patio. There’s a pool table, board games, and few TVs to entertain people, if they need entertaining. For some, a book and a nice cocktail or glass of wine will suffice.
In many ways it’s a classic third place, a term coined to describe places outside of the home (the first place) and the workplace (the second place) where people go. A vessel, if you will, for connecting with others, the community, or in this case, your inner vacationing self.