From the restaurant layout to the menus, Libertine Social is designed to encourage interaction and indulgence in equal measure. The lounge area’s communal tables and curvy bar invite you to say hello to your neighbors —
and perhaps even play a friendly match of the restaurant’s custom “Liberate” card game, in which players complete truth-or-dare challenges to earn cards.

The menus focus on shareable items such as high-concept dips and cocktails by the pitcher. For the cuisine, American bar food is reimagined — think earthy, but elevated. (Many of the ingredients are sourced by famed forager Kerry Clasby.) So, say, if you’re a fan of neighborhood watering-hole staples such as chicken wings, Libertine Social offers as an alternative the Petaluma chicken, or even grilled and chilled prawns — indeed, both require a game willingness to get a little messy. Love nachos? Try the melted farmhouse cheese served with a warm pretzel to match the gooey, shareable appeal of the bar favorite. If sliders are your go-to, he endorses the burger (“Our burger is phenomenal. Why go small?”), but you could also try the braised oxtail crostini for a more adventurous twist.

Of course, Libertine Social aims to be as much about the drinks. Pair a country ham flatbread with a Queen’s Park Swizzle or ordering the baked goat cheese with a Libertine Fizz, which features vodka, Campari, limoncello and orange juice. The main bar’s cocktail menu features “swizzles” (pitchers for four), fruit-forward fizzes and 12 retro cocktails, including the Slow, Comfortable Screw and other memorable ’80s hits such as Sex on the Beach and the Fuzzy Navel.