Underworld at Fable in Southington is one of the most unique cocktail bars I’ve been to. It’s part tea shop, part whiskey and amaro bar, part antique/collectible shop and part mythology-inspired immersive lounge
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“I love mythology; I’ve always been a real mythology nerd,” says Tina Parziale, who co-owns Fable and Underworld at Fable with her husband, Evan Seide. Fable opened in June 2022, and the Underworld concept followed in January 2024. “We were trying to figure out how to do a cocktail lounge that was unique and stayed in the realm of Fable, which is all inspired by folklore and fairytales,” Parziale says
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“I’m really going to enjoy seeing people come in and make memories here and maybe their first dates here,” Chris Allen said.
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Seide adds that focusing on underworld myths provides “endless storytelling” opportunities
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During my visit, the first thing that I’m drawn to is the decor. There are old clocks and ornate mirrors, potion-like bottles, hanging robes and soft lights that flicker like flames. These aren’t corny high school-play type props but real collectible pieces that give the place a movie-set quality. This isn’t a surprise as Seide is a former production designer for film and commercials and an avid antiquer and collector. Many of the items you see at Underworld are so cool you might want to take them home, and if that’s the case, you’re in luck as almost everything from the chairs you sit on to the mirrors and clocks on the wall is for sale.
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The setting is enhanced by the mythology that inspired the whole concept and which the owners hope can help us rethink stories of the afterlife. “Every culture around the world has some story that they tell themselves about death, about the afterlife, and I think that in our culture, in our modern times, we’re really fearful of that, and we kind of lost our stories,” Parziale says. Parziale is an herbalist with a background in literature and writing who previously was an English teacher. This resume helps her curate not only the teas featured at Fable but also the cocktails and drinks offered at Underworld.
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During my visit, I tried the Mictlantecuhtli, a blood orange margarita named for the Aztec God of death and king of the underworld. Parziale tells me this drink was designed to offer something approachable for visitors but also showcase some of the bar’s creativity. It accomplishes that dual goal. Made with blood orange-infused tequila, lime, bitters, and a smoked salt rim, it’s just a wonderful margarita and a great introduction to the drink program here
Also fantastic is the Proserphina, which features rose petal-infused gin, elderflower, bitter orange, pomegranate, amaro and lemon. Think gin and tonic but with the botanicals cranked to 11. This drink is light and effervescent and showcases the team’s more advanced drink-designing chops
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Though Underworld at Fable has been around for more than two years, the concept continues to evolve and grow. Currently, Underworld doesn’t have a sit-down bar area, but that will soon change. Seide and Parziale recently acquired an antique wooden bar that they say was once part of an actual speakeasy in Connecticut during Prohibition. This will be the centerpiece of a new barroom at Underworld that was still being renovated during my visit but should be up and running by the time readers see this story. As a fan of storytelling, cocktails and mythology, this place seems designed specifically for me, and I fell in love. I’d recommend it to any cocktail, antique and collectible fans — or anyone just looking for an unusual and fun evening out.
96b Center St., Southington, CT 06489
(203) 721-5687
