Filming Location Spotlight | Host on Howard - This Chic SoHo Gallery Is Basically a Love Letter to Hospitality
/Broadway Stages takes pride in supporting our vibrant local communities. Our Filming Location Spotlight series highlights local shops, restaurants, landmarks, and venues where productions that call Broadway Stages home have filmed "on location." We encourage our readers to explore and support these unique spots and join the film and television industry in helping sustain our neighborhoods' economies and culture! In this edition, we introduce you to Host on Howard, a world of curated design, hospitality, and art.
New York City makes Broadway Stages' job easy. The city's electric pace, rich character pool, and endlessly varied neighborhoods make the city more than just a backdrop. The city is a perfect stage for the series "Elsbeth," the legal comedy-drama spinoff of "The Good Wife" and "The Good Fight." The city mirrors Carrie Preston's unpredictable, unapologetic, and irresistibly fascinating character.
Recently, the show made its way to Host on Howard in Manhattan. This stylish, design-forward venue blends art, food, and wine into occasions that inspire. And it is quietly redefining what it means to gather in style. Part showroom, part bar, part art installation, this new concept blurs the line between hospitality and design culture.
What Is Host on Howard? A New Design-Driven Experience in SoHo
Host on Howard is the brainchild of AvroKO, the globally renowned design firm behind some of the world's most visually arresting restaurants and hotels. Inside, visitors discover a curated collection of what AvroKO calls “tools for gathering.” These are not just physical objects, but elements that enhance the social experience, such as sculptural lighting, hospitality-grade furniture, elegant service trolleys, and more. But the atmosphere is far from commercial. Instead, it's an immersive environment that invites guests to linger, explore, and imagine.
A SoHo Space with Garden of Eden Energy
From the moment you enter, Host on Howard is a sensory experience. Galerie Magazine says, "The Edenic shades of mossy green covering the walls immediately set Host on Howard apart." Arched passageways lead guests through a series of thoughtfully designed vignettes. Each of these features carefully arranged furniture and art pieces that are framed like theatrical set pieces.
Drawing inspiration from the mythical Garden of Eden, the gallery's debut exhibit, "The Paradisa," is a space of beauty, community, and abundance. Every detail, from flattering ambient lighting to tactile materials, reflects this ethos. The result is an environment that feels both serene and alive. The design is meant to be touched, inhabited, and shared.
Design Pieces That Inspire — and Tempt
At Host on Howard, the items for sale are as distinctive as the space itself. The meticulously designed furniture, sculptural lighting, and accessories are all chosen with bringing people together in mind. Everything is built to combine durability with elevated style, from statement-making bar trolleys to plush, elegantly crafted seating and limited-edition pieces. Many items are one-of-a-kind or produced in small runs, making them as exclusive as they are functional.
The furniture is presented in cozy, inviting arrangements that are more akin to an exclusive lounge than a retail showroom, and it is available for purchase for those inclined. But even without taking anything home, visitors leave with fresh ideas and a renewed appreciation for form and function.
A Bar That's a Conversation Piece
But it is not just a commercial space. It is just as much a space for gathering. Kristina O'Neal, who co-founded AvroKO with fellow architects William Harris, Greg Bradshaw, and Adam Farmerie, told Galerie Magazine, "Connection is at the heart of the gatherings, and we're exploring new formats to encourage play. I think we're all a bit tired of standard cocktail parties." Click here to read the magazine's complete profile.
At the heart of Host on Howard is a striking horseshoe-shaped bar. The custom-designed structure seats ten and doubles as the centerpiece for private groups. Cocktails are served alongside conversation as artists, chefs, designers, and thinkers come together for intimate events. This isn't a bar in the traditional sense. It's a living example of AvroKO's belief that thoughtful environments shape behavior. Whether enjoying a glass of natural wine or discussing design theory, the bar's design encourages eye contact, dialogue, and connection.
Plan your Visit Today
You don't have to be a designer, artist, or industry insider to appreciate Host on Howard. It's a place that sparks ideas, whether you're seeking creative inspiration, looking to impress a design-savvy date, or simply in the mood to explore one of SoHo's most distinctive hidden spaces.
Host on Howard is located at 21 Howard Street in SoHo. To maintain an intentionally intimate atmosphere, visits are open by appointment only, Monday through Friday. You can schedule your visit directly through hostonhoward.com. For a sneak peek, follow our visually captivating Instagram feed at @hostonhoward.
Host on Howard stands apart in a city known for its endless stream of openings and pop-ups. It's a refined space for connection, creativity, and conversation. This thoughtfully designed sanctuary is worth visiting for those seeking something off the well-worn SoHo path.
Institutions like Host on Howard are part of New York's magic, adding authentic character to the city's cultural landscape and making them ideal filming locations. By partnering with independent restaurants, bars, shops, and other businesses across the city, the film and TV industry is able to enhance the authenticity of its productions and also contribute to the success of these businesses that make New York special. Whether it's a pivotal scene in a television show or a quiet moment in a feature film, these locations offer a unique sense of the city we love.
At Broadway Stages, we are committed to supporting the businesses that make New York City's neighborhoods thrive. Experience Host on Howard for yourself, and when you get there, be sure to tell them Broadway Stages sent you!
One of New York’s largest and most trusted full-service production studio companies, offering comprehensive services for film, television, live streaming, commercials, live performances, music videos, and more. With over 40 years of experience, we’ve become a cornerstone of New York’s thriving creative industry.
With more than 60 soundstages spanning across Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island, Broadway Stages offers over 4 million square feet of state-of-the-art production space, including soundstages, support space, distinctive filming locations, parking, and in-house services for lighting, power, and grip rentals. We provide tailored solutions for productions of all sizes, delivering the resources and expertise needed to meet your creative and technical needs.
Learn about film and TV industry jobs, training, and more in the Broadway Stages’ Industry Resource Guide. Our guide provides information and links to put you in touch with industry-focused job posting sites; general recruiting sites; education and training programs; and state, city, and borough industry information.
