When COVID put the kibosh on Kat Dunn’s plans to build out her fast-casual, neighborhood cocktail bar, Padrona, in 2020, she pivoted to a lobster roll pop-up dubbed Buttercup. With patio seating, to-go cocktails in Capri Sun-style packs, lobster rolls, crab cakes, and Coney Island hot dogs, the endless-summer concept enjoyed instant and spectacular success.
Dunn ran the pop-up through December for two years, but without indoor seating it was a seasonal thing. “You can’t withstand outdoor-only dining in February—the need for hot dogs and lobster rolls only runs so strong,” says Dunn, who designed the cocktail programs for Zak Pelaccio’s (now-defunct) Fish & Game and Backbar, as well as Rivertown Lodge.
Now, as things have slowly creeped back to normal, she has returned to her delayed Padrona plans. But fans of Buttercup, fear not, both concepts will exist side-by-side operating out of the same kitchen.
Two-in-One
“Depending on how you want to look at it, Buttercup will be the daytime menu and Padrona will be the nighttime menu,” Dunn says. While the hours of operation (11am to 6:30pm for Buttercup and 3pm to late for Padrona) will overlap, seating will be separate. Padrona patrons will have access to the inside and a more formal patio, while Buttercup-goers will have sidewalk seating. “It’ll be a little chaotic having two places in the same building, so we’re trying to streamline,” she says.
Her ultimate goal for Buttercup is to either find a different location or to transform the concept into a food truck—but neither step was going to happen this year amidst the build-out of Padrona. So this tandem approach is a compromise. Both will have full, sit-down service, a departure from Buttercup’s previous window pick-up model. “The cashier concept was beginning to remind people of a time they wanted to forget,” Dunn says. “Whether right or wrong, people want to move past the pandemic phase.”
Inside, the Padrona space will largely be faithful to the original design by Hudson-based design firm Spacesmith, with its 28-foot bar. “Some things are definitely changing in a post-pandemic world,” Dunn says. “We had 90-foot sofas in there. I didn’t feel like people would feel comfortable sharing a sofa with strangers, so now we’ll have more dispersed orange loveseats. The furniture is changing slightly but the entire vibe and color structure are the same.”
Cocktails but Casual
Padrona’s fast-casual cocktail concept aims to puncture the pretentiousness that has come to enshroud many drink programs. There will be drinks on draft, bottled cocktails, slushes, and a range of beer-and-shot specials. But you can also order a classic cocktail. “It’s meant to be a bit more laid-back, not as serious as a lot of cocktail lounges,” Dunn says. “Although my background is about 50 percent in craft cocktails, the other half was in dive bars. I love that dive bar mentality. I love the hospitality of a neighborhood bar.”
Leaving full-fledged dining to Hudson’s many other restaurants, Padrona will serve up lighter fare like conservas, charcuterie, local cheeses, tinned seafood, and trout rillettes. “We’re doing more of a noshing menu,” Dunn says. “We’re keeping with that fast casual, ‘oh we’re having a drink, we’d love some cheese and sardines and charcuterie [vibe].’ Done, and you’re on your way to your reservation later that night. Every now and then you might make a dinner out of it, but it’s supposed to be so you can comfortably lounge for any amount of time and have another drink if you so choose.”
The menu will be divided into High Alcohol, Low Alcohol, and No Alcohol, to accommodate all tastes. “Post-pandemic, a lot of people stopped drinking or have been more mindful with they’re drinking, and I really want to support that,” Dunn says. She is currently waiting on the State Liquor Authority to finalize her liquor license, with tentative plans to open Buttercup Memorial Day Weekend and Padrona sometime in June.
