Vessel Brings Classy Cocktails & Coastal Cuisine to Mid City

Vessel, the highly-anticipated restaurant focusing on Mediterranean-inspired coastal eats, incredible craft drinks and a ballin' beer bomber program is now open in Mid City, Helen Freund reports.

The restaurant's name is a nod to its location in an historic church with hull-like rafters that rather resembles a ship and its concept of fresh coastal dining.

The revamped space (formerly home to Redemption and before that Christian's) now features a stunning 35-foot walnut wood bar, where bar manager Wyatt Lowrey of Booty's fame will slings classics and signature drinks—making this New Orleans latest craft cocktail hub. The awesome beer program has an emphasis on both small and large format beers (the owners are also partners in local beer mecca The Bulldog), and a Commander's Palace alum Joe Pilie is overseeing the wine program.

As for the food, MiLa alum/chef Nick Vella will change up the locally-sourced menu seasonally with small and large plates and an array of eats, including lavash flatbreads, smoked Gulf fish dip, snapper crudo with watermelon sorbet,  whole smoked fish, and a nice amount of vegetarian dishes.

The pastry chef, Amelia Watts, is an August alum and her desserts sound pretty dynamic as well, with Freund noting a buttermilk pie with pickled blueberries and a sweet corn gelato and barley crumble.

Current Hours:  Tuesday to Saturday for dinner, 4 p.m. to  10 p.m. for dinner. Tuesday to Saturday bar is open 'until' (after midnight) with snack menus available before 5:30 p.m. and after 10 p.m.  Vessel will expand to seven days a week in the coming weeks.