Bumble Will Open Its First Cafe in New York
Contributed by: kellyseal on Tuesday, July 20 2021 @ 09:30 am
Last modified on Tuesday, July 20 2021 @ 09:41 am
Bumble is set to debut Bumble Brew in New York City, its first brick and mortar branded cafe for people to meet or network while they eat, drink coffee, or share a bottle of wine.
The dating company had plans to debut its Brew location last year, but it got pushed back due to the pandemic. With Covid numbers dropping as vaccination numbers increase, and with the success of its IPO earlier this year, Bumble is rolling out the red carpet for the café’s debut and adding more items to the menu.
Bumble Brew is a partnership between Pasqual Jones from Delicious Hospitality Group and the dating platform, according to Bloomberg[*1] . The restaurant will be located next to Pasqual Jones on Kenmare Street in downtown Manhattan, and has been tweaked since its initial concept from “date-friendly,” shareable foods to a more robust menu, according to the partners.
There seems to be a fondness for yellow foods as well, aligning with the Bumble brand. The focus will be on Mediterranean and plant-based dishes like morel mushroom omelets as well as comfort foods like cheeseburgers and spaghetti with summer zucchini. Breakfast will also be served, including ricotta with bee pollen and “wild greens with a runny egg.” And of course, there will be a range of coffees and wines to sample.
It seems that Bumble’s timing is good: as of June, 90 percent of users who were asked about their dating preferences said they were ready to meet and date in person again. During the pandemic, the dating app’s users relied on in-app video chats to get to know each other, and founder Whitney Wolfe Herd believes that will remain a popular feature to get to know someone before agreeing to meet.
The venue includes a private dining area, patio, cocktail bar, and 80-seat dining room, all in shades of yellow, Bumble’s signature color. The company envisions it as a hub for professionals to network as well as a place where dates and friends can meet. Bumble also plans to make it a “programming hub” according to Bloomberg, where they can offer seminars to members.
“We know that our community in New York are big fans of Delicious Hospitality. Our users love the brand overall,” says Julia Smith, head of brand partnerships at Bumble.
Bumble plans to test the restaurant in New York, and perhaps add a second near its headquarters in Austin, Texas. Bumble Brew will initially open for breakfast, then add lunch on July 31 and finally dinner service on August 7th.
For more on this service you can check out our Bumble review.