The bar cart is the sleeker, more daring descendant of the nineteenth-century tea cart, and gained mass appeal in the United States in the booming 1950s.
After Prohibition, the Depression, and World War II, Americans were ready to bring the party straight into their living rooms. The bar cart's reign as an essential interior design object of the sophisticated home was bright but brief; by the ’80s, trends had shifted toward decadent built-in wet bars. But the resurgence of mid-century design in the 2000s—fueled in part by the popularity of the TV series Mad Men and its impeccable styling and ever-present drinks, as well as a growth in urban populations with smaller apartment footprints—rolled the bar cart back into cocktail hour.
We love nothing more than a welcoming, well-stocked, and aesthetically pleasing bar cart. Like a bottle of Pinhook, it elevates any occasion. Below we’ve listed out some of our favorites.
Glasgow Metal Bar Cart
This bart cart offers the most bang for your buck. Hard black lines remind us of Bauhaus design and perfectly frame your beautiful bottles, mixers, and glassware. We especially like the drop shelf, which allows for maximum accoutrements.
Project 62
Glasgow Metal Bar Cart $150
via Target
Cache Bar Cart
Need a stylish cart, but don’t want to spend a fortune? The Cache bar cart fits the bill. Its powder-coated metal finish comes in many colors and the casters lock to provide mobility and stability as needed.
Novogratz
Cache Bar Cart $85
via Wayfair
Lollygagger Bar Cart
Bright, bold colors, large geometric features—how can we not love the Lollygagger. Made partially out of recycled milk jugs, this cart can serve up good times both indoors and out. And it comes in both our flagship bourbon's orange and flagship rye's green. Worth the splurge.
Loll Designs
Lollygagger Bar Cart $1,295
via Lumens
Longday Bar Cart
The write up on Blu Dot's website was too good. Just copying it here: "Solid teak makes the perfect garnish for perforated powder-coated aluminum. Fetching teak wheels take you from patio to parlor. Cutting board tucks neatly inside the top shelf for lemon slicing on the go and drinks on the double. It's the stuff of soirees and Wednesdays."
Blu Dot
Longday Bar Cart $650
Boden Bart Cart
This streamlined bar cart from Article appears well dressed without even trying. Keep it indoors, or witness it holding up to the elements out on the patio. Either way, it will blend seamlessly into any social occasion.
Article
Boden Bar Cart $419
Asher Bar Cart
The Asher brings some old-world glamour to the bar-cart equation, without sacrificing a bit of functionality. The four caster wheels make it a cinch to relocate--and it's great at mingling during a party--but they also lock into place when necessary.
World Market
Asher 2-Tier Antique Gold Bar Cart $99.98
Bellwood Bar Cart
Don't let the small footprint of the Bellwood cart fool you. It's as loaded with style as it is utility. Hard to think of a room its two-toned bentwood design wouldn't look good in.
Umbra
Bellwood Bar Cart $181
via 2Modern
