Autumn is officially here, even if warmer-than-usual temps are still giving summer vibes. It’s time to make the most of outdoor seating before sidewalk cafés are dismantled — whether for the season, or permanently. But it’s also peak season for new bar and restaurant openings, and time to catch up with friends after decamping elsewhere for the summer. Before we know it, it will be prime time for Oktoberfest, Halloween-themed bars and other occasions that beckon for celebratory drinks. So, keep this list handy, especially for when you’re craving something that’s not a pumpkin spice latte in the weeks ahead.
Must be 21 years of age or older to consume alcoholic beverages. Please drink responsibly.
Everywhere You'll Want to Dine and Drink in NYC
67 Orange at Back Bar Chelsea/Midtown
The Drink: Kentucky Blossom
Though 67 Orange Street had a good 16-year run in its original Harlem space, we still were sad to see it close this past summer. But we’ll be turning out to support Karl Franz William and team during a limited-edition pop-up at Back Bar in the Eventi Hotel. The limited event started on Sept. 19, and the Kentucky Blossom — a crowd-pleaser from uptown, made with bourbon and cinnamon — is on the menu. Don’t delay.
The Bonnie Astoria
The Drink: Dirty Pickle Martini
Maybe it’s been a while since you’ve paid a visit to this Astoria stalwart. But the piled-high Bonnie Burger is calling, and so is their signature vodka martini, made with McClure’s pickle brine. If that still feels too fussy, there’s always the stripped-down Pickleback shot: just bourbon chased by pickle brine. You know the drill.
The Cactus Shop Willliamsburg
The Drink: Prendette
Passion fruit, tequila, and a dash of Ancho Reyes chile liqueur, plus a mouthwatering black lava salt glass rim make for a great transitional drink when a classic marg feels too summery. And it works just as well alongside late-night birria tacos or morning-after chilaquiles at brunch.
Casa Carmen Tribeca TriBeCa
The Drink: Carmen Negroni
A mezcal Negroni hits all the right bittersweet notes, and this one is made with chamomile-infused Lillet, bianco vermouth, and of course, mezcal. Pro tip: Don’t have only a drink. Order tuna or crab tostadas, or something more substantial like the pollo con mole Xico, and thank your lucky stars you can enjoy one of the best new Mexican restaurants in the city, even while seated at the bar.
Grandma’s Home Flatiron
The Drink: Shochu Bamboo
Specializing in traditional Hangzhou cuisine, this chain has more than 200 locations in China, but this is their first U.S. outpost. The drink offerings here, however, lean toward Japan, featuring shochu and sake. Pair a crisp Shochu Bamboo (shochu, bianco sherry vermouth, bitters) with a tall tower of dim sum for the ultimate happy hour, or bring a friend to enjoy a shochu-spiked tea pot for two.
Experimental Cocktail Club Flatiron District
The Drink: Croissant Kir Royale
If you missed ECC’s previous run on the LES, you’re in luck. In September, it reopened in the space below Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels in Flatiron, with a mosaic of mirrored ceilings and walls that feel like you’re drinking inside a disco ball, and a white upright piano for future singalongs. The drinks still lean French, as with a sparkling Kir Royale enriched with a brown butter fat-wash. Pair it with a wagyu bologna sando topped with raclette and dill Dijonnaise — but don’t call it a Reuben, si’l vous plaît.
Eel Bar Lower East Side
The Drink: Marianito
There’s no eel on the menu at this Basque spot, but you will find lots of vermouth. Pair the Marianito (Axta sweet vermouth, from Spain’s Basque region, agricole rum, orange curacao, plus an olive) with an assortment of gildas — little skewered snacks, such as anchovy and pickled cucumber — and croquetas, all perfect drinking accompaniments.
La Noxe Chelsea
The Drink: Banana Daiquiri
Yes, this cocktail bar is tucked away in the 28th Street subway. While it’s hidden from street-level view, the speakeasy-seekers have found it, so a Resy is advised if you want to impress a friend with the secret entrance and bask in the red neon glow. The signature drink is made with rhum, banana liqueur, lemon, and a host of warming autumnal spices.
Riff Raff Club NoMad
The Drink: Wisconsin Old Fashioned
Located on the 39th floor of the Virgin Hotel, the menu at this shiny new bar includes lots of elevated classics and pricey drinks made with vintage bottles. But don’t sleep on this humble drink, which reflects bar partner Charles Joly’s midwestern roots: American brandy, bitters, cherry and orange, and “questionable garnishes.” Available sweet, sour, or press, of course (IYKYK). More info about The Riff Raff Club here.
KABIN Hudson Square
The Drink: Hav
As temps cool, get your hygge on at this Nordic-inspired cocktail bar, which opened in June with drinks by bar pros Pam Wiznitzer and Eloy Pacheco, plus chef Johnny Spero heading up the food menu with Swedish meatballs, Danish hot dogs, and more. Drink ingredients lean northward: think cloudberries, lingonberries, aquavit, sea buckthorn. Try a zero-proof riff on the martini, made with non-alcoholic gin, caraway, verjus, olive and non-alcoholic bitters.
Midnight Blue Gramercy Park
The Drink: Bubble Tea
Jazz and great cocktails come together at this new venue from the Martiny’s team. In addition to live music in the back room, with sets at 8pm and 10:15 pm, the whiskey bar up front is available for walk-ins starting at 5pm – and has a separate list of drinks, including the espresso martini-like Bubble Tea. However, Guilder oolong tea-infused gin – no coffee – provides the distinctive earthy flavor, alongside single malt Scotch, oat milk, vanilla beans and kokuto (Japanese brown sugar)
Tokyo Record Bar Greenwich Village
The Drink: Ma Peche
With Yana Wolfson (formerly of Cosme and Alta) appointed as beverage artist, and a shiny new liquor license (the space was formerly beer/wine only), the playful, vinyl-fueled subterranean space has a new drinks list you won’t want to miss. That includes Ma Peche, a new signature pick: It’s got pisco, peach vermouth, Riesling, and Brooklyn’s Hana Makgeolli sool, garnished with chocolate dust.
Le Veau d’Or Lenox Hill
The Drink: Martini (Our Way or Your Way)
The beloved old-school French restaurant is back, with a jewel-box bar that seats five and a strong list of cocktails courtesy of bar pro Sarah Morrissey. Since martini preferences can be personal, Le Veau wisely gives the option to customize this classic, but we advise trying it “Our Way:” an Old Raj gin martini side-by-side with a highball that uses the “dirty ice” from stirring the martini, topped up with sherry vermouth and Vichy water for a fizzy, low-proof highball. Do know that they only offer pre-fixe meals for $125 per person; there’s no à la carte menu.
Wonderland East Village
Photo courtesy of Wonderland
The Drink: Not Tom Yum
Booth seating inside giant bird cages. Elaborate cocktails that involve, smoke, fire, bubbles, and more. It’s tempting to think you’ll never put your phone down long enough to enjoy a drink. However, you should know that the bar team’s obsession with Chengdu and Sichuan peppercorns has inspired innovative drinks like Not Tom Yum: a frothy mix of vodka, lemongrass, fish sauce, chile, and coconut.
Photo courtesy of Wonderland
Madeline’s Greenpoint
The Drink: The Madeline
If you like espresso martinis, you’ll love this Greenpoint bar’s eponymous drink: vodka, espresso, vanilla, plus bittersweet Amargo Vallet and green chile. The high ceilings and a relaxed vibe means there’s no wrong place to settle in: the mezzanine upstairs, outdoor seating, dining room, or just grab a seat at the bar.
Broken Shaker New York Gramercy
Photo by Lizzie Munro, courtesy of Broken Shaker
The Drink: Oscar De La Hoya
While the weather’s still balmy enough to sip tropical drinks outdoors, head the 18th floor of the Freehand hotel for the relaunch of Broken Shaker. Named for the Mexican American former boxer, this drink mixes Mexican tequila with white rum, Aperol, strawberry and lime, plus a hit of “fire tincture” for a drink that lands a punch somewhere between a spicy marg and a strawberry daiquiri.
Photo by Lizzie Munro, courtesy of Broken Shaker
