Discover ATILON: A Q&A with Co-Founder Jeraldo Pearson, Told Through 3 Signature Cocktails
- Annie
- 9 hours ago
- 4 min read
Located in the heart of the Bowery, the lounge blends old New York history with modern craftsmanship. With every detail feels intentional — from the Prohibition-inspired cocktail menu to the oxblood-rich walls, painted in tribute to co-founder Jeraldo Pearson’s late mother. The building — constructed in the 1850s and located beneath a historic hostel that once housed World War I soldiers — already carried the spirit of old New York.
In this conversation, Jeraldo shares ATILON’s story through three defining drinks - each reflecting its roots, evolution, and commitment to hospitality. More than a bar, it’s a space built for warmth, connection, and belonging.
Originally from Texas, Jeraldo returned to New York with a clear memory of what the Bowery once felt like — historic, music-filled, and warm. It was always a place where you could have a great cocktail and an even better conversation, whether with friends or a stranger.
When the opportunity arose to open ATILON, he saw space for something intentional: a lounge rooted in craftsmanship, calm energy, and genuine connection for a 27-to-55-year-old crowd seeking a thoughtful night out.
For Jeraldo, the vision was clear:
Honor the Bowery’s past while creating a space designed for presence and warmth today.
Q: If someone ordered one drink to understand the vibe of ATILON, which would you choose?
Jeraldo: I’d probably say the Salted Almond Old Fashioned.
Our cocktail menu is based around the 1920s Prohibition era, and the Old Fashioned was created during that time. We wanted to bring a modern twist while paying homage to the classics. It has a South Asian liqueur that gives vanilla, tropical, nutty vibes—without actually using nuts. So people with nut allergies can enjoy it too. It gives this silky, savory vibe. We also do a technique called a fat wash, where we cook bacon and use the excess fat to freeze into the whiskey. It separates, but it keeps the savoriness and that silky texture, with a subtle smoked bacon note.
That’s the one I think everybody should try first.
Q: This space pulls from the Prohibition era - a time with very specific spirits and limitations. Is there a drink on the menu that best reflects how you’ve reinterpreted that era for today?
Jeraldo: I would say the Oaxaca Corpse Reviver.
That era was based around liquor being outlawed, so people were making spirits in their homes and basements—and it wasn’t the best quality. A lot of cocktails were created to mask those horrible flavors with syrups and juices. The Oaxaca Corpse Reviver highlights how different things are now. Today, we have great spirits with great flavors, so we don’t need to overcomplicate things. We can actually showcase the liquor. With that drink, we use mezcal, a really refreshing passionfruit liqueur, absinthe, and a little fresh citrus juice. It’s smoky but really well-balanced.
It’s also a great educator for people who think they don’t like mezcal. Most of the time, they try it and they’re like, “Oh—I love this.”
It’s simple but has a lot of complexity.
Q: If someone came here for a birthday, listening party, intimate gathering-what drink would you want in their hand that night, and why?
Jeraldo: I think something cute and fun is our Lavender Spritz.
Everyone knows the Aperol Spritz, Campari Spritz, Hugo Spritz—so I wanted to keep that vibe, but make something a little more interesting. It can be a masculine cocktail, a girly cocktail—doesn’t matter. We make an in-house lavender and vanilla syrup, and mix it with a subtle ginger liqueur. It gives this dry cream soda vibe. Then we top it with club soda and champagne. It’s smooth, easy to drink, a great sipper over conversation, and it’s also a fun drink to walk around with and take pictures with.
People expect one thing from the description, and then once they taste it, they’re like, “Oh, this is fantastic.”
Q: What were you missing in NYC’s bar scene that you wanted to create here?
Jeraldo: New York has so much—it’s hard to say what the bar scene was missing overall. But I can speak on the places I go to, and the places I’ve gone once and may not go back. The biggest thing is warmth. Hospitality. When you walk in as a guest, you should feel welcome. Friendly faces. That’s something I strongly believe in.
It comes from my upbringing—my mother was the type where if you walked into the house in the morning and didn’t say hello or good morning, it was disrespectful. That was instilled in me. So I wanted to build a space with that old-school hospitality, where people feel warm and welcome the moment they walk in.
Q: After a night at ATILON whether someone came alone or with a group-what do you hope they take away?
Hospitality, Warmth, and Welcome.
As long as people feel that—through a cozy cocktail, a hello from Christian or Steven or myself as soon as they walk in, or even just meeting a stranger—that’s what matters.
I love the nights when you see people come in alone and leave with somebody. Like two girls walking each other to the train station. That happens here so much. Or groups of friends leaving with smiles, grateful for the experience.
I want people to leave and say, “That place was really cool. I’d never even heard of it, but I had a great time tonight. I’ll always remember it—and I’ll come back.”
You can visit ATILON at 220 Bowery, New York, NY 10012
Open
Sunday - Wednesday CLOSED
Thursday 6pm - 12am
Friday 6pm - 12am
Saturday 6pm - 12am
*walk-ins only*
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