Thomas’s New York guidebook
Cocktail Bars
Cheeky Japanese cocktail bar Katana Kitten has two settings depending on the mood: Upstairs is a more open place to sip cocktails such as the Amaretto Sour (rye, amaretto, salted plum, honey, lemon, egg white, red shiso), while the downstairs den is rowdier and more izakaya-like. In its first year on the scene, Katana Kitten made a splash, winning Spirited Award’s “best new American bar.” Now, with Covid restrictions in place, guests can also sip outside while munching on sandos, skewers, and nori fries dippable in Japanese curry sauce.
10 personas locales recomiendan
Katana Kitten
531 Hudson StCheeky Japanese cocktail bar Katana Kitten has two settings depending on the mood: Upstairs is a more open place to sip cocktails such as the Amaretto Sour (rye, amaretto, salted plum, honey, lemon, egg white, red shiso), while the downstairs den is rowdier and more izakaya-like. In its first year on the scene, Katana Kitten made a splash, winning Spirited Award’s “best new American bar.” Now, with Covid restrictions in place, guests can also sip outside while munching on sandos, skewers, and nori fries dippable in Japanese curry sauce.
This chic cocktail establishment transformed the 100-year-old Caffe Dante circa 2015 to reinvigorate the space with a contemporary, all-day cafe and all-night drinking vibes. The signature concoction, the Garibaldi, simply mixes “fluffy” (fresh-pressed) orange juice with Campari for an all too easy to sip cocktail. Balance more liquor-forward drinks and tableside martini service for four with a few rounds of fresh handmade pasta and flatbreads.
41 personas locales recomiendan
Dante NYC
79-81 MacDougal StThis chic cocktail establishment transformed the 100-year-old Caffe Dante circa 2015 to reinvigorate the space with a contemporary, all-day cafe and all-night drinking vibes. The signature concoction, the Garibaldi, simply mixes “fluffy” (fresh-pressed) orange juice with Campari for an all too easy to sip cocktail. Balance more liquor-forward drinks and tableside martini service for four with a few rounds of fresh handmade pasta and flatbreads.
Aria West Village
14 Bedford StTwo Milk & Honey veterans, Sam Ross and Michael McIlroy, opened this cocktail lounge in their former employers’ original home.They nixed the reservations-only system but kept the practice of making bespoke cocktails. With its dim lighting and intimate vibe, this is a great place to go at the beginning or end of the night, which are also the times when it’s easiest to actually get a table.
102 personas locales recomiendan
Attaboy
134 Eldridge StTwo Milk & Honey veterans, Sam Ross and Michael McIlroy, opened this cocktail lounge in their former employers’ original home.They nixed the reservations-only system but kept the practice of making bespoke cocktails. With its dim lighting and intimate vibe, this is a great place to go at the beginning or end of the night, which are also the times when it’s easiest to actually get a table.
GN Chan and Faye Chen traveled around the country in a Volkswagen minivan before finally opening their long-awaited Lower East Side bar. It was well worth the wait. Their balanced cocktails are full of unexpected ingredients like fennel, winter melon, and a variety of different teas, including oolong and lapsang souchong. The hot honey fried chicken sandwich is also not to be missed
Double Chicken Please
115 Allen StreetGN Chan and Faye Chen traveled around the country in a Volkswagen minivan before finally opening their long-awaited Lower East Side bar. It was well worth the wait. Their balanced cocktails are full of unexpected ingredients like fennel, winter melon, and a variety of different teas, including oolong and lapsang souchong. The hot honey fried chicken sandwich is also not to be missed
Employees Only
510 Hudson StDeath & Co. is a dark, warm, comfortable place to enjoy a sophisticated cocktail. The menu at this influential bar includes punches, juleps, drinks made with Spanish spirits, and plenty of whiskey-based cocktails. Reservations for indoor and outdoor drinking are accepted, as are pre-orders for takeout.
203 personas locales recomiendan
Death & Company
433 E 6th StDeath & Co. is a dark, warm, comfortable place to enjoy a sophisticated cocktail. The menu at this influential bar includes punches, juleps, drinks made with Spanish spirits, and plenty of whiskey-based cocktails. Reservations for indoor and outdoor drinking are accepted, as are pre-orders for takeout.
Across the street from The Clover Club, and a sister bar to the legendary spot, Ivy Mix’s Latin-inspired cocteleria offers big flavors in liquid form. Well-balanced drinks like the Brooklyn Burro (White Guyanese rum, pineapple, ginger, lime, aromatic bitters, soda), pair well with bean-stuffed pupusas or chicken mole enchiladas. Everything can be enjoyed on the patio or backyard, or toted away for takeout.
26 personas locales recomiendan
Leyenda
221 Smith StAcross the street from The Clover Club, and a sister bar to the legendary spot, Ivy Mix’s Latin-inspired cocteleria offers big flavors in liquid form. Well-balanced drinks like the Brooklyn Burro (White Guyanese rum, pineapple, ginger, lime, aromatic bitters, soda), pair well with bean-stuffed pupusas or chicken mole enchiladas. Everything can be enjoyed on the patio or backyard, or toted away for takeout.
Julie Reiner’s Smith Street bar works as both a casual after-work hangout and a date night destination. The menu has Champagne-based drinks, frozens, punches, fizzes, tiki cocktails, juleps, and original creations. Clover Club’s outdoor cocktail garden on Smith Street is not too loud or crowded, and offers plenty of space for sipping specialty Old Fashioneds and noshing on deviled eggs. A full brunch menu, and cocktail list, are also served.
143 personas locales recomiendan
Clover Club
210 Smith StJulie Reiner’s Smith Street bar works as both a casual after-work hangout and a date night destination. The menu has Champagne-based drinks, frozens, punches, fizzes, tiki cocktails, juleps, and original creations. Clover Club’s outdoor cocktail garden on Smith Street is not too loud or crowded, and offers plenty of space for sipping specialty Old Fashioneds and noshing on deviled eggs. A full brunch menu, and cocktail list, are also served.
While bar owner Toby Cecchini is best known for inventing the Cosmopolitan, you won't find the Sex and the City girls' favorite cocktail on the menu here (though you can still get one if you ask nicely). The bar feels like it's been around forever, mostly because it has -- it was once an old-school neighborhood diner, and the neon-lit facade remains the same as it always was. The interiors follow suit, with retro decor and leather booths, where you can post up with a classic Boulevardier served in a coupe glass and one of the borough's best burgers.
59 personas locales recomiendan
The Long Island Bar
110 Atlantic AveWhile bar owner Toby Cecchini is best known for inventing the Cosmopolitan, you won't find the Sex and the City girls' favorite cocktail on the menu here (though you can still get one if you ask nicely). The bar feels like it's been around forever, mostly because it has -- it was once an old-school neighborhood diner, and the neon-lit facade remains the same as it always was. The interiors follow suit, with retro decor and leather booths, where you can post up with a classic Boulevardier served in a coupe glass and one of the borough's best burgers.
The nautical-themed Sunken Harbor Club started as a popular ongoing pop-up of sorts at St. John Frizell’s popular Fort Defiance in Red Hook, which is currently closed. This intimate bar is tucked above the historic Brooklyn chop house Gage & Tollner, where a menu is divided into four parts, including “Dry Land” (for non-alcoholic drinks) and the “Abyss” (for imbibers who want boozy cocktails). It’s a place that’s just as good for pre-dinner drink or a night out in a maritime setting with cocktails that are more on point than gimmicky.
Sunken Harbor Club
372 Fulton StreetThe nautical-themed Sunken Harbor Club started as a popular ongoing pop-up of sorts at St. John Frizell’s popular Fort Defiance in Red Hook, which is currently closed. This intimate bar is tucked above the historic Brooklyn chop house Gage & Tollner, where a menu is divided into four parts, including “Dry Land” (for non-alcoholic drinks) and the “Abyss” (for imbibers who want boozy cocktails). It’s a place that’s just as good for pre-dinner drink or a night out in a maritime setting with cocktails that are more on point than gimmicky.
Very strong neighborhood bar feels and even better lists of cocktails and small bites make Grand Army a destination. Cocktails range widely from slow sippers to boozy fruit punches. For snacks, Grand Army focuses on sustainable raw bar items like oysters, littleneck clams, and ceviche. Non-cocktail drinkers will find an impressive beer list with options from local breweries.
44 personas locales recomiendan
Grand Army
336 State StVery strong neighborhood bar feels and even better lists of cocktails and small bites make Grand Army a destination. Cocktails range widely from slow sippers to boozy fruit punches. For snacks, Grand Army focuses on sustainable raw bar items like oysters, littleneck clams, and ceviche. Non-cocktail drinkers will find an impressive beer list with options from local breweries.
A pair of Belfast bar vets conjured up this version of a rough-and-tumble 19th-century tavern, then put a refined cocktail parlor upstairs so you can imbibe like a boss. Taking its name from the Five Points–era gang, the Dead Rabbit evokes the kind of watering hole where bare-knuckle dudes puff out their chests and throw back pints.
122 personas locales recomiendan
The Dead Rabbit Grocery and Grog
30 Water StA pair of Belfast bar vets conjured up this version of a rough-and-tumble 19th-century tavern, then put a refined cocktail parlor upstairs so you can imbibe like a boss. Taking its name from the Five Points–era gang, the Dead Rabbit evokes the kind of watering hole where bare-knuckle dudes puff out their chests and throw back pints.
Harkening back to the drinking culture of the Harlem Renaissance, this speakeasy style lounge currently operates as a delivery and sidewalk establishment, vending cocktail kits, shareable punches and individual drinks. The menu is structured by spirit preference, with mixologist David Libespere, who has been leading the show here for the last three years.
132 personas locales recomiendan
67 Orange Street
2082 Frederick Douglass BlvdHarkening back to the drinking culture of the Harlem Renaissance, this speakeasy style lounge currently operates as a delivery and sidewalk establishment, vending cocktail kits, shareable punches and individual drinks. The menu is structured by spirit preference, with mixologist David Libespere, who has been leading the show here for the last three years.
Nico de Soto’s Mace was a mainstay in the East Village before the pandemic and while it did stay open as a roving pop-up during parts of the past two years, the award-winning bar has comfortably settled into its new home in Greenwich Village. Fans of Mace are already flocking to the bar for the menu full of international inspiration: a frozen slushie incorporating wasabi and cilantro (a nod to Miami Vice), a black sesame cocktail with roots in Peru, and even an eye-catching ube drink.
40 personas locales recomiendan
Mace
35 West 8th StreetNico de Soto’s Mace was a mainstay in the East Village before the pandemic and while it did stay open as a roving pop-up during parts of the past two years, the award-winning bar has comfortably settled into its new home in Greenwich Village. Fans of Mace are already flocking to the bar for the menu full of international inspiration: a frozen slushie incorporating wasabi and cilantro (a nod to Miami Vice), a black sesame cocktail with roots in Peru, and even an eye-catching ube drink.
This secret cocktail lounge is hidden behind a door near the entrance of Japanese restaurant Village Yokocho, a helpful partnership when Angel’s Share went takeout only in spring 2020. The Japanese restaurant’s small plates are served to-go along with complex cocktails, like the umami-forward Giant Steps, made with butter fat washed whiskey, nixta, maple, soy sauce and angostura bitters.
172 personas locales recomiendan
Angel's Share
45 Stuyvesant StThis secret cocktail lounge is hidden behind a door near the entrance of Japanese restaurant Village Yokocho, a helpful partnership when Angel’s Share went takeout only in spring 2020. The Japanese restaurant’s small plates are served to-go along with complex cocktails, like the umami-forward Giant Steps, made with butter fat washed whiskey, nixta, maple, soy sauce and angostura bitters.
This tiny sliver of a bar is a bitters cocktail destination open since 2011 from East Village restaurateur Ravi DeRossi and renowned bartenders Sother Teague and Max Green. The menu runs from less to more bitter, ending in the 8 Amaro Sazerac, a house mix of eight amari, green chartreuse, and orange citrate. Before the bar gets back on its feet, they’re selling curated selection of bourbons, ryes, and whiskeys for pickup.
73 personas locales recomiendan
Amor y Amargo
95 E 6th StThis tiny sliver of a bar is a bitters cocktail destination open since 2011 from East Village restaurateur Ravi DeRossi and renowned bartenders Sother Teague and Max Green. The menu runs from less to more bitter, ending in the 8 Amaro Sazerac, a house mix of eight amari, green chartreuse, and orange citrate. Before the bar gets back on its feet, they’re selling curated selection of bourbons, ryes, and whiskeys for pickup.
The entrance to this taxidermy-strewn saloon is hidden behind an old phone booth inside Crif Dogs. Inside, a team of barkeeps offer thoughtful cocktail creations. The staff is happy to talk you through any libation on the menu, or suggest an haute dog from next door. PDT expanded with the outdoor addition of PDT Tropicale last spring.
287 personas locales recomiendan
Please Don't Tell
113 St Marks PlThe entrance to this taxidermy-strewn saloon is hidden behind an old phone booth inside Crif Dogs. Inside, a team of barkeeps offer thoughtful cocktail creations. The staff is happy to talk you through any libation on the menu, or suggest an haute dog from next door. PDT expanded with the outdoor addition of PDT Tropicale last spring.
Kenta Goto opened this contemporary Lower East Side izakaya in 2015 after years of bartending at the trailblazing Pegu Club, which closed in 2020. Here, Goto has crafted a list of eye-opening cocktails highlighting Japanese flavors and spanning all tastes. The small space, and its accompanying outdoor seating, also serves great bar food: Do not sleep on the miso chicken wings or the okonomiyaki.
17 personas locales recomiendan
BAR GOTO
245 Eldridge StKenta Goto opened this contemporary Lower East Side izakaya in 2015 after years of bartending at the trailblazing Pegu Club, which closed in 2020. Here, Goto has crafted a list of eye-opening cocktails highlighting Japanese flavors and spanning all tastes. The small space, and its accompanying outdoor seating, also serves great bar food: Do not sleep on the miso chicken wings or the okonomiyaki.
Bar Goto Niban
474 Bergen StreetCreated by late cocktail visionary Sasha Petraske, Dutch Kills is still one of the top places to go for “bespoke” cocktails. Request a specialty cocktail based on liquor and taste preferences or order off the menu full of specific riffs on classic cocktails like The Quill, a Negroni with an absinthe rinse. Sidewalk seating is semi-covered and tables are distanced, and a new rule-following sandwich menu offers hefty subs to soak up the booze.
104 personas locales recomiendan
Dutch Kills
27-24 Jackson AveCreated by late cocktail visionary Sasha Petraske, Dutch Kills is still one of the top places to go for “bespoke” cocktails. Request a specialty cocktail based on liquor and taste preferences or order off the menu full of specific riffs on classic cocktails like The Quill, a Negroni with an absinthe rinse. Sidewalk seating is semi-covered and tables are distanced, and a new rule-following sandwich menu offers hefty subs to soak up the booze.
Maison Premiere
298 Bedford AveLittle Branch
20 7th Avenue SouthIf you're looking for an escape along with your cocktail, Meaghan Dorman's Union Square "cocktail parlor" has you covered -- threefold. There's the super-sexy, crystal-curtained anterior, where you can sip from the “Fresh Ink” menu of rotating, novel cocktails like the Xantolo (tequila, mezcal, spiced pineapple, and lime); a classic burnished-wood bar area, which offers ample seating; and a Marie Antoinette room, which is just as ornate as its name suggests. Drinks here are as delicious as you'd expect from the woman behind the Raines Law Room, but it's the vibe -- or vibes, really -- that make this spot a draw.
59 personas locales recomiendan
Dear Irving Gramercy
55 Irving PlIf you're looking for an escape along with your cocktail, Meaghan Dorman's Union Square "cocktail parlor" has you covered -- threefold. There's the super-sexy, crystal-curtained anterior, where you can sip from the “Fresh Ink” menu of rotating, novel cocktails like the Xantolo (tequila, mezcal, spiced pineapple, and lime); a classic burnished-wood bar area, which offers ample seating; and a Marie Antoinette room, which is just as ornate as its name suggests. Drinks here are as delicious as you'd expect from the woman behind the Raines Law Room, but it's the vibe -- or vibes, really -- that make this spot a draw.
Raines Law Room Chelsea
48 W 17th StThe Central Casting ideal of Old New York, the Carlyle Hotel’s throwback grandeur is juxtaposed with Ludwig Bemelmans’ whimsical original murals here at his namesake bar. It’s as expensive as you’d expect, and the $15 cover charge from 6pm-9pm gets you a seat and nothing more, but $21 cocktails like the JFK daiquiri, mezcal martini and Earl Grey-infused Grey Goose with lemon and honey aren’t too much more than you’ll spend in less lovely environs.
41 personas locales recomiendan
Bemelman's Bar at The Carlyle
35 E 76th StThe Central Casting ideal of Old New York, the Carlyle Hotel’s throwback grandeur is juxtaposed with Ludwig Bemelmans’ whimsical original murals here at his namesake bar. It’s as expensive as you’d expect, and the $15 cover charge from 6pm-9pm gets you a seat and nothing more, but $21 cocktails like the JFK daiquiri, mezcal martini and Earl Grey-infused Grey Goose with lemon and honey aren’t too much more than you’ll spend in less lovely environs.
When it closed on December 31, 2017, Temple Bar was equal parts a downtown destination referred to in some circles as the martini-slinging “downtown Bemelmans,” as much as it was a place that the city’s top bartenders would visit. Nearly four years later, a team of nightlife gurus (including David Rabin, who helped open Sona) and acclaimed bartenders (Michael McIlroy and Sam Ross of the award-winning Attaboy) have revived this Noho space. The same Art Deco-ish touches still remain but the space and menu have been given a makeover. While there are plenty of martinis on the menu, classics like a Negroni sport an eye-catching blue hue instead of the iconic Campari red glow.
Temple Bar
332 Lafayette StreetWhen it closed on December 31, 2017, Temple Bar was equal parts a downtown destination referred to in some circles as the martini-slinging “downtown Bemelmans,” as much as it was a place that the city’s top bartenders would visit. Nearly four years later, a team of nightlife gurus (including David Rabin, who helped open Sona) and acclaimed bartenders (Michael McIlroy and Sam Ross of the award-winning Attaboy) have revived this Noho space. The same Art Deco-ish touches still remain but the space and menu have been given a makeover. While there are plenty of martinis on the menu, classics like a Negroni sport an eye-catching blue hue instead of the iconic Campari red glow.
Weather Up
589 Vanderbilt AveWeather Up
589 Vanderbilt AveNew from the team behind The Garret bars, Bandit’s getting away with the best parts of 1970s style. Its wood-paneled interior and almost avocado-green accents can accommodate 32 inside, and a more-stylish-than-most curb shed fits an additional 30. For snacks, it’s got all types of tots and drinks include wine, beer and shots. Cocktails like the Bradshaw on Bedford (vodka, lemon juice, rose petal, rhubarb, sun dried tomato and basil) call to mind one famous fictional West Village character.
Bandits
44 Bedford StreetNew from the team behind The Garret bars, Bandit’s getting away with the best parts of 1970s style. Its wood-paneled interior and almost avocado-green accents can accommodate 32 inside, and a more-stylish-than-most curb shed fits an additional 30. For snacks, it’s got all types of tots and drinks include wine, beer and shots. Cocktails like the Bradshaw on Bedford (vodka, lemon juice, rose petal, rhubarb, sun dried tomato and basil) call to mind one famous fictional West Village character.
The team behind Dear Irving and Raines Law Room opened the second outpost of the former in midtown. Dear Irving on Hudson is a bi-level cocktail bar that takes up the 40th and 41st floors of the Aliz Hotel in Times Square. While the bustling location is worlds away from the quiet block of Irving Place, the founders are sticking to some familiarities. Most noticeably, a handful of cocktails and a "time travel" theme, with one floor akin to 1960s James Bond and another decked out in Art Deco finishes.
Dear Irving on Hudson
310 W 40th StThe team behind Dear Irving and Raines Law Room opened the second outpost of the former in midtown. Dear Irving on Hudson is a bi-level cocktail bar that takes up the 40th and 41st floors of the Aliz Hotel in Times Square. While the bustling location is worlds away from the quiet block of Irving Place, the founders are sticking to some familiarities. Most noticeably, a handful of cocktails and a "time travel" theme, with one floor akin to 1960s James Bond and another decked out in Art Deco finishes.
Classic Bars
A canonical NYC destination, Sunny’s still feels serendipitous when you luck into it on a random, meandering afternoon. It has nautical nods, a long bar and booths up front, tables and enough room for twangy live music in the back and a side yard for alternating breaths of fresh air and the opposite of fresh air. There’s a full bar, but they’re particularly adept at making beer here.
91 personas locales recomiendan
Sunny's
253 Conover StA canonical NYC destination, Sunny’s still feels serendipitous when you luck into it on a random, meandering afternoon. It has nautical nods, a long bar and booths up front, tables and enough room for twangy live music in the back and a side yard for alternating breaths of fresh air and the opposite of fresh air. There’s a full bar, but they’re particularly adept at making beer here.
Grand Central Terminal itself is rather beautiful, but running its gauntlet always requires a reward. The Campbell, née, The Campbell Apartment, in the building’s southwest corner, is the closest and best place to get one. Once the massive office of the ur-rich NYC finance guy for which it’s twice named, The Campbell’s present form toasts its original leaded-glass windows, soaring hand-painted ceiling and stone fireplace with classic cocktails. This is what all those latter-day speakeasies aspire to without the goofy costuming.
45 personas locales recomiendan
The Campbell
15 Vanderbilt AveGrand Central Terminal itself is rather beautiful, but running its gauntlet always requires a reward. The Campbell, née, The Campbell Apartment, in the building’s southwest corner, is the closest and best place to get one. Once the massive office of the ur-rich NYC finance guy for which it’s twice named, The Campbell’s present form toasts its original leaded-glass windows, soaring hand-painted ceiling and stone fireplace with classic cocktails. This is what all those latter-day speakeasies aspire to without the goofy costuming.
Brooklyn Inn
148 Hoyt StA real-deal dive bar in an area less and less hospitable to the genre, Montero’s a grizzled old charmer decked out in the seafaring accoutrement you’d expect from a spot that got its start serving sailors so many years ago. Today, it lights up on karaoke nights when visitors belt out PBR-emboldened versions of former and current hits.
19 personas locales recomiendan
Montero
73 Atlantic AveA real-deal dive bar in an area less and less hospitable to the genre, Montero’s a grizzled old charmer decked out in the seafaring accoutrement you’d expect from a spot that got its start serving sailors so many years ago. Today, it lights up on karaoke nights when visitors belt out PBR-emboldened versions of former and current hits.
Dating back to 1762, Fraunces Tavern doesn’t look a day over 259. In addition to modern conveniences like indoor plumbing, its distinct spaces serve as a one-stop-shop for a few different photo-ops: grab a beer at the main bar, sip Brenne beside the fireplace in the whiskey room or post up outside the landmarked building for wine and cocktails.
52 personas locales recomiendan
Fraunces Tavern
54 Pearl StDating back to 1762, Fraunces Tavern doesn’t look a day over 259. In addition to modern conveniences like indoor plumbing, its distinct spaces serve as a one-stop-shop for a few different photo-ops: grab a beer at the main bar, sip Brenne beside the fireplace in the whiskey room or post up outside the landmarked building for wine and cocktails.
One of the oldest bars in New York City, McSorley’s Old Ale House has sawdust on the floor and dusty aged curios to prove it. The prices seem suspended in time, too: Dark or light ales are $6 per pair of half pints. Yes, you must choose from just two beers, and your one [1] order is served in two [2] mugs. Most of McSorley’s food (sandwiches, burgers, dogs) is under $10.
142 personas locales recomiendan
McSorley's Old Ale House
15 E 7th StOne of the oldest bars in New York City, McSorley’s Old Ale House has sawdust on the floor and dusty aged curios to prove it. The prices seem suspended in time, too: Dark or light ales are $6 per pair of half pints. Yes, you must choose from just two beers, and your one [1] order is served in two [2] mugs. Most of McSorley’s food (sandwiches, burgers, dogs) is under $10.
Helmed by beloved neighborhood fixture Lucy herself, Lucy’s is best experienced in the lively evening hours. After dark, locals shoot pool on two worn tables and choose tunes from a jukebox that includes Paul Stanley and polka king Stan Yankovic. Plan to pay cash for your beer and shots.
17 personas locales recomiendan
Lucy's
135 Avenue AHelmed by beloved neighborhood fixture Lucy herself, Lucy’s is best experienced in the lively evening hours. After dark, locals shoot pool on two worn tables and choose tunes from a jukebox that includes Paul Stanley and polka king Stan Yankovic. Plan to pay cash for your beer and shots.
Beer Bars
Evil Twin commands a following for its innovative suds amongst craft beer lovers. Now, Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergsø and his wife have opened a permanent brewery and taproom with cans like Cherry Cola Sour and Spicy Avocado Margarita you can enjoy in the greenhouse space and beer garden.
Evil Twin Brewing NYC - DUMBO
43 Main StreetEvil Twin commands a following for its innovative suds amongst craft beer lovers. Now, Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergsø and his wife have opened a permanent brewery and taproom with cans like Cherry Cola Sour and Spicy Avocado Margarita you can enjoy in the greenhouse space and beer garden.
Evil Twin Brewing NYC
1616 George StGrimm Artisanal Ales
990 Metropolitan AveGood Beer
422 E 9th StTørst
615 Manhattan AveWine Bars
One of NYC’s latest viewstaurants (that is, restaurants with a view) opened on the sixth floor of Williamsburg’s Wythe hotel last summer. In addition to its lovely vistas, Bar Blondeau has small plates, plus lots of beer, wine and cocktails to choose from, including more low- and no-alcohol options than you’ll see elsewhere.
6 personas locales recomiendan
Bar Blondeau
80 Wythe AvenueOne of NYC’s latest viewstaurants (that is, restaurants with a view) opened on the sixth floor of Williamsburg’s Wythe hotel last summer. In addition to its lovely vistas, Bar Blondeau has small plates, plus lots of beer, wine and cocktails to choose from, including more low- and no-alcohol options than you’ll see elsewhere.
Air's Champagne Parlor
127 MacDougal StBreak out a magnifying glass to navigate the chalk-drawn wine list at this dimly lit vino depot, or stop investigating and simply ask for a recommendation from Ten Bells’ myriad options. Narrow it down even further at daily happy hour until 7pm, when select carafes are $18.
111 personas locales recomiendan
The Ten Bells
247 Broome StBreak out a magnifying glass to navigate the chalk-drawn wine list at this dimly lit vino depot, or stop investigating and simply ask for a recommendation from Ten Bells’ myriad options. Narrow it down even further at daily happy hour until 7pm, when select carafes are $18.
The Ten Bells also just opened a second location in Bushwick. The Brooklyn version sits just a few feet away from Maria Hernandez Park with a brick-walled backyard and some daily Happy Hour specials of its own, including $1 oysters, $6 glasses, and $18 carafes. They’ve also got a dark wood-covered dining room where you can drink natural wine and snack on lamb meatballs and charcuterie.
17 personas locales recomiendan
The Ten Bells Brooklyn
65 Irving AvenueThe Ten Bells also just opened a second location in Bushwick. The Brooklyn version sits just a few feet away from Maria Hernandez Park with a brick-walled backyard and some daily Happy Hour specials of its own, including $1 oysters, $6 glasses, and $18 carafes. They’ve also got a dark wood-covered dining room where you can drink natural wine and snack on lamb meatballs and charcuterie.
This Soho wine bar offers about 25 wines by the glass, and can suit lots of different situations - whether you want to roll up to the bar solo, sit one-on-one at a table, or reserve a semi-private room for a larger group. Try to get here during Happy Hour (which ends at 6pm during the week and 4pm on weekends) for $5 snacks and $5 off wines by the glass.
18 personas locales recomiendan
La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels
249 Centre StThis Soho wine bar offers about 25 wines by the glass, and can suit lots of different situations - whether you want to roll up to the bar solo, sit one-on-one at a table, or reserve a semi-private room for a larger group. Try to get here during Happy Hour (which ends at 6pm during the week and 4pm on weekends) for $5 snacks and $5 off wines by the glass.
Another bar specializing in natural wines is June, a truly excellent neighborhood spot in Cobble Hill. This isn’t the kind of place you meet your friend of a friend who wants to network, or your clingy ex-roommate you’ve been putting off. This is the kind of place you come with people you really like (or for a first date), on a night when you don’t need to rush. It’s comfortable, it’s charming, and it’s reasonably priced enough that you won’t be horrified by your three-hour bill.
70 personas locales recomiendan
June
231 Court StAnother bar specializing in natural wines is June, a truly excellent neighborhood spot in Cobble Hill. This isn’t the kind of place you meet your friend of a friend who wants to network, or your clingy ex-roommate you’ve been putting off. This is the kind of place you come with people you really like (or for a first date), on a night when you don’t need to rush. It’s comfortable, it’s charming, and it’s reasonably priced enough that you won’t be horrified by your three-hour bill.
No matter how much you know about wine, you’ll have a good time at Ruffian. This 19-seat East Village wine bar has over 250 natural wines, mostly from small producers in Southern and Eastern Europe, and the knowledgeable staff is always happy to go into detail while pouring tastes of obscure orange wines from Greece or oxidized options from the Jura. You could also have a great time just sitting on their patio with a date, eating some excellent Mediterranean food, and drinking rosé from the “Beach Sipping” section of the menu.
9 personas locales recomiendan
Ruffian
125 E 7th StNo matter how much you know about wine, you’ll have a good time at Ruffian. This 19-seat East Village wine bar has over 250 natural wines, mostly from small producers in Southern and Eastern Europe, and the knowledgeable staff is always happy to go into detail while pouring tastes of obscure orange wines from Greece or oxidized options from the Jura. You could also have a great time just sitting on their patio with a date, eating some excellent Mediterranean food, and drinking rosé from the “Beach Sipping” section of the menu.
Kindred, run by the same people as Ruffian, is another great spot to drink natural wine and eat small plates in the East Village. Their massive street-dining hut has oscillating fans, string lights, and plenty of room for groups, so you won’t overheat or have to panic-sprint to the nearest scaffolding at the first sign of rain. Kindred’s selection of wine changes pretty often, but their list is usually full of bottles from Croatian and Slovenian producers. Plus, they serve a full menu of handmade pastas like ricotta agnolotti with smoked ricotta and creste di gallo topped with a roasted red pepper pomodoro.
Kindred
Kindred, run by the same people as Ruffian, is another great spot to drink natural wine and eat small plates in the East Village. Their massive street-dining hut has oscillating fans, string lights, and plenty of room for groups, so you won’t overheat or have to panic-sprint to the nearest scaffolding at the first sign of rain. Kindred’s selection of wine changes pretty often, but their list is usually full of bottles from Croatian and Slovenian producers. Plus, they serve a full menu of handmade pastas like ricotta agnolotti with smoked ricotta and creste di gallo topped with a roasted red pepper pomodoro.
Vanderbilt Avenue in Prospect Heights has a lot of great places to eat - Olmsted, Maison Yaki, Faun, Chuko, and more. But of all of the spots on this stretch just north of Prospect Park, it’s LaLou that has the best wine program. The long wine list is mostly made up of natural wines, with a big selection of familiar varietals from famous regions in France and Italy, as well as some lesser-known options. Come for dinner and ask the very friendly staff to help you choose a bottle - most are in the $40-$70 range - or just get drinks and snacks at the bar overlooking the open kitchen or on the back patio.
16 personas locales recomiendan
LaLou
581 Vanderbilt AveVanderbilt Avenue in Prospect Heights has a lot of great places to eat - Olmsted, Maison Yaki, Faun, Chuko, and more. But of all of the spots on this stretch just north of Prospect Park, it’s LaLou that has the best wine program. The long wine list is mostly made up of natural wines, with a big selection of familiar varietals from famous regions in France and Italy, as well as some lesser-known options. Come for dinner and ask the very friendly staff to help you choose a bottle - most are in the $40-$70 range - or just get drinks and snacks at the bar overlooking the open kitchen or on the back patio.
Rhodora in Fort Greene focuses on wine made using small-scale, natural processes - as part of the wine bar’s larger sustainable mission to produce zero waste. If you want to try natural wine from places like Germany, Austria, or a cave in Southeastern France, Rhodora has one of the best lists in Brooklyn. As for the food, the menu has a bunch of conservas, snacking vegetables, and cheese. We particularly like sitting on their sidewalk, but there’s also plenty of space inside their brick-walled dining room with four huge street-facing windows.
9 personas locales recomiendan
Rhodora Wine Bar
197 Adelphi StreetRhodora in Fort Greene focuses on wine made using small-scale, natural processes - as part of the wine bar’s larger sustainable mission to produce zero waste. If you want to try natural wine from places like Germany, Austria, or a cave in Southeastern France, Rhodora has one of the best lists in Brooklyn. As for the food, the menu has a bunch of conservas, snacking vegetables, and cheese. We particularly like sitting on their sidewalk, but there’s also plenty of space inside their brick-walled dining room with four huge street-facing windows.
Temperance in the West Village offers over 100 wines by the glass, which means you can drink a range of things like a nutty-savory French white or order a bottle of something that tastes as though a can of kombucha dressed up to go out on a Saturday night. Between the big, hidden backyard and helpful staff, consider Temperance the most useful new bar for a wine-fueled date night in the area. It also works when you want to hang out with a couple friends outside in the West Village without having to navigate the masses perched on sidewalk cafes. Glasses start at $12 and go as high as $50-ish for something like a Champagne brut rosé.
Temperance Wine Bar
40 Carmine StreetTemperance in the West Village offers over 100 wines by the glass, which means you can drink a range of things like a nutty-savory French white or order a bottle of something that tastes as though a can of kombucha dressed up to go out on a Saturday night. Between the big, hidden backyard and helpful staff, consider Temperance the most useful new bar for a wine-fueled date night in the area. It also works when you want to hang out with a couple friends outside in the West Village without having to navigate the masses perched on sidewalk cafes. Glasses start at $12 and go as high as $50-ish for something like a Champagne brut rosé.
There are plenty of spots in the city where you can deep dive into Slovenian orange wine or French pet-nats. But if it’s California wine that you’re looking for, go to Coast And Valley. This Greenpoint spot only serves wines from California, and all 100 of them are available in 2 and 5-ounce pours, which allows you to try everything from a traditional Napa cab to a natural roussanne without spending a ton of money.
Coast and Valley
587 Manhattan AveThere are plenty of spots in the city where you can deep dive into Slovenian orange wine or French pet-nats. But if it’s California wine that you’re looking for, go to Coast And Valley. This Greenpoint spot only serves wines from California, and all 100 of them are available in 2 and 5-ounce pours, which allows you to try everything from a traditional Napa cab to a natural roussanne without spending a ton of money.
Franks Wine Bar is worth going to just for the food, because you can get anything from the menu next door at Frankies 457 or small plates specific to the wine bar, like burrata with pike caviar, salt cod croquettes, and bread with phenomenal olive oil. You could also go to this Carroll Gardens spot just to drink wine, and spend a couple hours or months working your way through the 400-bottle list that’s organized with helpful descriptions. Or you could do both.
Franks Wine Bar
465 Court StFranks Wine Bar is worth going to just for the food, because you can get anything from the menu next door at Frankies 457 or small plates specific to the wine bar, like burrata with pike caviar, salt cod croquettes, and bread with phenomenal olive oil. You could also go to this Carroll Gardens spot just to drink wine, and spend a couple hours or months working your way through the 400-bottle list that’s organized with helpful descriptions. Or you could do both.
Whether you come to Four Horsemen for their massive natural wine list, or because of the excellent small plates, or because it’s owned by a member of LCD Soundsystem, you’re going to have a good time here. The space may be small, but the bar and tables are both excellent spots for a date or small group hang. And be sure to ask your server for recommendations - the people here know what they’re talking about.
89 personas locales recomiendan
The Four Horsemen
295 Grand StWhether you come to Four Horsemen for their massive natural wine list, or because of the excellent small plates, or because it’s owned by a member of LCD Soundsystem, you’re going to have a good time here. The space may be small, but the bar and tables are both excellent spots for a date or small group hang. And be sure to ask your server for recommendations - the people here know what they’re talking about.
Fine Dining
ATOMIX
104 East 30th Street
Le Bernardin
155 W 51st StAska
47 S 5th StCosme
35 E 21st StThe Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare
431 W 37th StBlue Hill At Stone Barns
630 Bedford Rdatera
77 Worth StMomofuku Ko
8 Extra Pl
The Modern
9 W 53rd StJungsik
2 Harrison St
Gramercy Tavern
42 E 20th St
Kajitsu
125 E 39th Stodo
17 West 20th StreetIn a city replete with pricey omakase options, a meal at Noz is a breathtaking place to start. Since the restaurant’s beginnings, chef Nozomu Abe has used his bar as a stage to dismember live king crab, to grill eel over eucalyptus, and to form ethereal bites of nigiri. A tasting menu is $395 in the hinoki room, while a sushi-only meal runs $225 in the ash room. Prices are inclusive of service.
Sushi Noz
181 East 78th StreetIn a city replete with pricey omakase options, a meal at Noz is a breathtaking place to start. Since the restaurant’s beginnings, chef Nozomu Abe has used his bar as a stage to dismember live king crab, to grill eel over eucalyptus, and to form ethereal bites of nigiri. A tasting menu is $395 in the hinoki room, while a sushi-only meal runs $225 in the ash room. Prices are inclusive of service.
Great Restaurants
Contra
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Frenchette
241 W BroadwayErnesto's
259 E BroadwayKimika
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Lilia
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Red Hook Tavern
329 Van Brunt StGage & Tollner
372 Fulton StreetHometown Bar-B-Que
454 Van Brunt StThe chef credited with helping expand the city’s idea of Korean food brought her cooking to Park Slope in December 2018, this time executing thrilling fusion options alongside homey Korean classics. Chef Jenny Kwak’s must-orders at Haenyeo include a gochujang-infused bouillabaisse and a chorizo tteokbokki made with milky, stretchy white cheese. More traditional Korean fare like kimchi chigae and grilled fish are just as satisfying, as is the beignet dessert, a nod to her husband and owner Terrence Segura’s New Orleans childhood. The core of the drink menu is cocktails, such as the mizu lemongrass shochu-based the Squid and the Whale.
19 personas locales recomiendan
Haenyeo
239 5th AveThe chef credited with helping expand the city’s idea of Korean food brought her cooking to Park Slope in December 2018, this time executing thrilling fusion options alongside homey Korean classics. Chef Jenny Kwak’s must-orders at Haenyeo include a gochujang-infused bouillabaisse and a chorizo tteokbokki made with milky, stretchy white cheese. More traditional Korean fare like kimchi chigae and grilled fish are just as satisfying, as is the beignet dessert, a nod to her husband and owner Terrence Segura’s New Orleans childhood. The core of the drink menu is cocktails, such as the mizu lemongrass shochu-based the Squid and the Whale.
Cheap-ish Eats
Defonte's Sandwich Shop
379 Columbia StreetOur dwindling supply of Jewish meat delis luckily includes a few outliers, which have survived partly due to their obscure locations free from the usual challenges of NYC real estate and gentrification. Riverdale’s Liebman’s is one such case. It was founded in 1958 by the Dekel family and the decor is pure 1950s. So slide into one of the blue Naugahyde booths and enjoy pastrami or corned beef cured on the premises, a hot dog topped with potato salad, or one of Liebman’s signature round knishes.
7 personas locales recomiendan
Liebman’s Deli
552 W 235th StOur dwindling supply of Jewish meat delis luckily includes a few outliers, which have survived partly due to their obscure locations free from the usual challenges of NYC real estate and gentrification. Riverdale’s Liebman’s is one such case. It was founded in 1958 by the Dekel family and the decor is pure 1950s. So slide into one of the blue Naugahyde booths and enjoy pastrami or corned beef cured on the premises, a hot dog topped with potato salad, or one of Liebman’s signature round knishes.
Russ & Daughters
179 E Houston StAfrica Kine has been open in NYC since 1996, run in various locations by founders Kine and Samba Niang, who grew up in Dakar. It moved north a few years ago into a more compact space, with a menu paradoxically larger than the original. Included are such Senegalese mainstays as thiebu djen (stuffed fish and vegetables over joloff rice), mafe (lamb or chicken in a peanut sauce), and yassa (chicken or fish in a lemon and onion confit), mainly available at lunchtime. At dinner, expect shrimp skewers, grilled leg of lamb, fish balls in tomato sauce, and baked fish.
18 personas locales recomiendan
Africa Kine
2267 Adam Clayton Powell Jr BlvdAfrica Kine has been open in NYC since 1996, run in various locations by founders Kine and Samba Niang, who grew up in Dakar. It moved north a few years ago into a more compact space, with a menu paradoxically larger than the original. Included are such Senegalese mainstays as thiebu djen (stuffed fish and vegetables over joloff rice), mafe (lamb or chicken in a peanut sauce), and yassa (chicken or fish in a lemon and onion confit), mainly available at lunchtime. At dinner, expect shrimp skewers, grilled leg of lamb, fish balls in tomato sauce, and baked fish.
There’s often a line snaking out the door of this Bed-Stuy institution, where customers are lured in by the spicy-and-sweet smell of fried doubles ($2 each). The traditional Trinidadian breakfast item — which are perfect anytime of the day, really — features a fluffy fried flatbread brimming with curried chickpeas. The owners, Noel and Geeta Brown, opened their shop in 2002 but it wasn’t until 2019 that they won a coveted James Beard award — a nod to the Trini specialties and the neighborhood’s rich Caribbean history.
57 personas locales recomiendan
A&A Bake Doubles and Roti
1337 Fulton StThere’s often a line snaking out the door of this Bed-Stuy institution, where customers are lured in by the spicy-and-sweet smell of fried doubles ($2 each). The traditional Trinidadian breakfast item — which are perfect anytime of the day, really — features a fluffy fried flatbread brimming with curried chickpeas. The owners, Noel and Geeta Brown, opened their shop in 2002 but it wasn’t until 2019 that they won a coveted James Beard award — a nod to the Trini specialties and the neighborhood’s rich Caribbean history.