Tucked away underground, yards from the perpetual hustle of Park Avenue, lies a new bar menu that can technical than local. Fermented purple carrot. Enzyme-treated Concord grape. A microwave-integrated Manhattan. But look, smell, and sip a little closer, and it’s easier to see what Seed Library NYC is really bringing to the city’s bar scene. This is true New York flavor, reimagined (and, thankfully, reinvigorated) by one of the cocktail world’s brightest stars.

Located on the ground floor of Hotel Park Avenue, Seed Library is the brainchild of mixologist-cum-entrepreneur Ryan Chetiyawardana, also known as Mr. Lyan. It’s his second bar with the same name, drawing inspiration from — but not copying — the Shoreditch location in East London that opened in 2022. Established as a collaboration with Lore Group and Renwick Hospitality, this new venue is Chetiyawardana’s first permanent bar in New York City and joins Washington, D.C.’s Silver Lyan as his American outposts; Chetiyawardana also operates active spots in London and Amsterdam.

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In Chetiyawardana’s words, Seed Library presents a fresh take on the prototypical “Manhattan Bar.” That’s certainly reflected in the design, overseen by Lore Group creative director Jacu Strauss, in collaboration with RD Studio. Patrons are whisked behind a street-level orange door, then escorted to a subterranean space that’s aesthetically somewhere between a retro hotel bar and a low-fi vinyl lounge. About 10 bar seats are complemented by a larger array of upholstered chairs, couches, and stools, the perimeter encircled by high tops and private nooks.

For guests, the 17 inaugural cocktails present a synthesis of Lyan classics and pan-New York State flavors. Upstate ingredients are fermented, dissolved, and catabolized into forms that are both familiar and, somehow, entirely unexpected. For Mr. Lyan, that was entirely the point.

“In the Seed Library lens, we don’t want to use (New York State produce) in the obvious ways,” Chetiyawardana told Food & Wine. “When we were testing a fruit, we ended up getting things like plurality or minerality, or a very different profile of sharpness that allowed us to kind of do something different with the drinks. We can use (fruit) for sweetness, we can use it for acidity, but we don’t just want to use it as a juice component to lengthen drinks.”

Emblematic of that effort is the Shepherd’s Delight, a new twist on a Clover Club that combines Renais Gin, Maker’s Mark, raspberry, and lemon with the aforementioned Concord grape. That final ingredient, sourced from New York producers, is broken down with enzymes extracted from sheep pancreas. (The listing itself carries a conspicuous “NOT VEG” label.)

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In contrast, the (also new, vegetarian-friendly) Blue Hill 75 combines Hendrick’s gin and Champagne with locally sourced carrots, fermented in-house. Mr. Lyan says the transformation highlights fruit and floral notes rather than the earthy characteristics often associated with root vegetables.

Seed Library’s newest cocktails aren’t the only ones getting a local touch. Chetiyawardana and his team have also ported over some existing creations, albeit with New York riffs. The Beeswax Old Fashioned mixes multiple Michter’s whiskeys with bitters and New York beeswax, delivering an unforgettable, creamy mouthfeel.

And the Unfiltered Martini — a workhorse Lyan classic — fuses Haku vodka with New York potatoes for an absorbing yet delicate sweetness. According to Lyan, that particular cocktail presented some unique and unforeseen challenges.

“The thing we found was potatoes are very different here,” says Chetiyawardana. “The potatoes we have in the UK brought this incredible creaminess. It was almost like vanilla ice cream, whereas the potatoes in the U.S. are slightly waxier, which ends up giving a slightly nutty, potato profile into the drink. Because the potatoes have a slightly lower starch content, we ended up changing the proportion of potato. It’s actually got a lot potato in it (compared to the UK version).”

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While some drinks were adapted to fit regional ingredients and tastes, Chetiyawardana mourns a few that never quite made it across the pond. “One of the drinks we were going to bring is called the Bone Dry Martini,” he said. “It was simply vodka and a bone tincture that we made by dissolving roasted chicken bone in phosphoric acid. But we couldn’t get phosphoric acid in the U.S.”

“We can do different things in Amsterdam, London, D.C., and New York. And that to us is actually quite an exciting thing,” Chetiyawardana said. “How do we play to the creative restrictions of our situation, but still apply some of these techniques that excite us?”

For Seed Library first-timers, Lyan recommends a three-cocktail progression that leans into local ingredients, culminating in one of his most famous creations. (Although he’s also quick to encourage self-driven exploration.) “I would start with the Unfiltered Martini. I think there’s something kind of magical about starting with martinis. They tee up your palate,” he advises. “Then I’d move to the Shepherd’s Delight, which is a wild transformation of a distinctly American ingredient.”

“To end, maybe go with the Koji Hardshake,” says Lyan, referencing a fusion of Johnnie Walker Black, miso, koji and cream sugar, and lemon that’s served in all of his bars. “It’s decadent without being unbalanced, like a hug at the end of the evening. You’re drawn back to it. It’s complex, it’s got layers.”

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Seed Library NYC also offers four spirit-free versions of original signatures: the Coriander Seed Gimlet, Pear and Apple Tonic, Thai Basil Soda, and the S&P Spritz. The last nonalcoholic spin is Chetiyawardana’s personal favorite, which he likens to aperitivo with balanced elements of dry, bitter, and sweet notes.

Seed Library’s food menu is decidedly concise, but potent. Presented in collaboration with Renwick Hospitality, lighter bites like a pickle plate and crudités are bolstered by pancetta-loaded tater tots and arancini. There’s also a Lyan burger, smothered with English cheddar. Going against the grain of New York agriculture, it’s a rare concession to British over American ingredients. The result is delicious enough that patrons would be wise to overlook the snub.

In the realm of dessert, the menu’s sole option is a tidy helping of chocolate chip cookies. Served hot and fresh from the oven, the menu cautions that the order adds 12 minutes to the wait time. For most visitors, that should be no bother at all. Based on early experience, I’m happy to stick around and sip for as long as it takes.