Our biggest misconception is that it's gonna be stuffy and I'm not talking about the air quality, I'm talking about the people." Thanks to both the highest quality air filtration system on the market and a down-to-earth proprietor, the atmosphere at Mahogany on Walnut is anything but stuffy.
North Jersey native Tom Piazza was the first of his family to explore the cigar industry. A former teacher and bartender, Piazza fell in love with cigars in 1992. Since that first Padrone Anniversario, things have never been the same. A frequent visitor to Philadelphia, Piazza noticed that the city was lacking a place where people could relax and smoke cigars without restrictions.
In 1997, at the tail-end of the cigar boom, he filled this void. To realize his vision, Piazza chose a second floor space conveniently located next to cigar dealer Holt's. Visitors climb a steep set of stairs to the old English-style lounge, contributing to the common misconception that Mahogany is a private club. Piazza hopes to avoid any air of exclusion and prides himself on his friendly staff: "I hope it's a reflection of me. I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth."
While the staff may be casual, the d‚cor is pure class. The distinguished two-room space is Main Line parlour meets hunting club, save the antlers and pretension. From the Winston Churchill portrait and faux fireplace in the back bar to the dark leather couches, iron chandeliers and Venetian blinds in the front lounge, Mahagony's is the epitome of old-world sophistication. "I wanted it to feel like an English gentleman's club and we're not talking [Gentleman's Club and Steakhouse] Delilah's," Piazza explains.
Mahogany's ambiance is subdued but never stiflingly silent. From Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin to Jamiroquai and European lounge tracks, the bar's soundtrack, like its clientele, is diverse in the world of cigar bars. Piazza does not enforce a dress code and welcomes smokers and non-smokers to enjoy the bar. Regulars range from college students to retired CEO's, with a fair balance of singles, couples and groups. Women, however, comprise only about fifteen percent of the clientele, a number Piazza hopes will rise.
Open for lunch and dinner, Mahogany offers a light pantry of salads, sandwiches, salmon and cheese plates. However, most come to be quenched by cigar and drink. An ideal location for a pre- or post-dinner sip and smoke, the bar tends to fill up to capacity after 10. The cocktail menu boasts an array of congacs, ports and 40 single malt scotches, Philadelphia's largest whiskey selection. Smokers are free to bring their own cigars or choose from a tray of cigars varying in shade, girth, length, strength and of course, price. Piazza makes sure that there's always some change on the cigar menu, though the classics are always there. The least expensive road to refinement is an $8 Arturo Fuente. If you are ordering for your ego, try a Davidoff Double Robusto, Mahogany's most expensive cigar at $32. To add a touch of sweet to this cigar's full bodied bite, dip its end in some Louis XV cognac. If you are lucky enough to polish off the bottle, Piazza will let you keep the pure crystal decanter for bragging rights.
The ultimate egoist, however, would forgo the display case altogether. Lining the walls of the back bar, Spanish cedar-lined humidors store cigars at an ideal 70 degrees Fahrenheit and 70 percent humidity. For an annual membership fee of $600, clients like 76ers' president Billy King, Chef Georges Perrier of Le Bec-Fin, and Samuel L. Jackson reserve private humidors, marked with brass nameplates and the guarantee that their cigars will last indefinitely in climate-controlled bliss.
While the city's new smoking ban has left a cloud looming over many bar and restaurant owners, it should not place any restrictions on Mahogany. "I'm hoping it will affect us in a positive manner and bring an increase in business," says Piazza.
Smokers can exhale a sigh of relief - relaxation and refinement are still only a plaid staircase away.
