Pfaff's beer cellar, Underground beer cellar in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, US
Pfaff's beer cellar was an underground dining space beneath Greenwich Village streets featuring a vaulted ceiling bar and stairs descending to the lower seating area. The establishment served German beers and champagne that were personally selected by owner Charles Pfaff.
Charles Ignatious Pfaff founded this German-style beer hall in 1855 and operated it until 1870 when he relocated the business uptown to Midtown Manhattan. The move brought an end to the original Greenwich Village location.
The cellar served as a gathering place for writers and artists who met there regularly to socialize and exchange ideas. Their presence shaped the character of the space into something more than just a tavern.
The establishment was located near Bleecker Street and accessed by descending stairs into the underground space beneath street level. The subterranean location meant visitors experienced dim lighting and cool temperatures year-round.
After closure the original space went through several transformations, first as an envelope factory and later as a disco called Infinity. The building eventually caught fire and burned down in 1979, erasing the site from the neighborhood.
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