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Billing itself as a “modern greenhouse restaurant,” a sleek all-day space soaked in sunlight from its Midtown perch, Bar Serra is bringing something fresh — though comfortably familiar — to the fast-growing district. It opens on the heels of its sister concept down the street, Malfi Enoteca, and the two Tulsa-born brands are exciting new entries along a burgeoning restaurant row. That’s according to Sheamus Feeley, whose namesake hospitality group partnered with McNellie’s Group on a project where the comforts of a neighborhood bar marry the sophistication of a modern greenhouse. It’s the perfect setting for the kinds of elevated-yet-accessible dishes and drinks being served at Bar Serra.
“We had this idea of creating something that is casual in its approach, but fun, and has a tremendous amount of energy,” Feeley explained. “The idea was to have something that people feel they can enjoy multiple times throughout the week, taking the idea of an all-day cafe, but continuing on to the end of day.”
Despite its name, Bar Serra is far more than just drinks, with dishes as inventive as they are wholesome, like Chicken Tikka Meatballs, or Feeley’s favorite, the minty kale salad strewn with peanut dressing. The quinoa-based Mediterranean bowl, meanwhile, is the best seller, heaped with cabbage, feta, hummus, tomatoes and cucumber-mint yogurt sauce. “It’s the kind of food that I crave, and you just want to eat, and you feel great walking away from it,” added Feeley. “Our goal is to create the best version of familiar things.”
Photos by Rachel Maucieri
Built for efficiency, the drinks follow that same ethos of elevated familiarity. Pre-batched and kegged cocktails, like margaritas and Manhattans, ensure consistency and quality. “While we run different bar programs in different places, and while we know we make great cocktails, what’s nice is the guest knows they’ll come in and get the same cocktail the same way every time,” Feeley said, eschewing pomp and circumstance for reliability. “If you want to pop in before heading home, and want a simple, honest and good cocktail, you can have it every time.”
There’s also a compressed wine list, ticking all the fan-favorite boxes for bubbly, rosé, whites and reds, and a beer selection that runs the gamut from Tulsa-based American Solera on tap to non-alcoholic offerings and the simple pleasures of Stella Artois. And, as Feeley pointed out, it wouldn’t be a McNellie’s concept without Guinness.
It’s all part of that earnest dedication to elevating the familiar, while retaining the comforts of a neighborhood bar. Despite its sheen of newness, and its wall of greenery as verdant as the pistou with the fluffy whipped ricotta, there’s something familiar about Bar Serra. It’s the comfort of an all-day space, as perfect for a quick lunch as it is a swanky dinner date over crispy artichokes and Walnut Old Fashioneds. At once familiar and novel, it’s in rarified air as it carves its own cornerstone in the fast-growing neighborhood.
“The most important piece is to just be a great casual gathering place,” Feeley said. “This is the place that feels comfortable, and it feels inviting. It checks that bar piece, but it does it in a way that checks more of that ‘better for you’ box too.”
