Café van Kleef

Café van Kleef Review

When Dutch artist Peter van Kleef first opened his gallery in this downtown space, the booze flowed freely—and free, for lack of a liquor license. That gallery has morphed into this candle-strewn, funky café-bar that crackles with creative energy. Van Kleef has a lot to do with the convivial atmosphere; the garrulous owner loves sharing tales about his quirky, floor-to-ceiling collection of mementos, including what he claims are Cassius Clay's boxing gloves and Dorothy's ruby slippers. The café also has a consistently solid calendar of live music, heavy on the jazz side. And the drinks may not be free anymore, but they're quite possibly the stiffest in town.