Bottoms Up: Channel Your Inner Mixologist at These 6 NYC Cocktail Lounges
Shaken, stirred, or straight up, these top-notch cocktail bars will please cocktail connoisseurs and casual drinkers alike.
Looking for an elevated alternative to beers on tap? Luckily, New York City boasts a spate of speakeasies, cocktail lounges, and mixologists who truly know their stuff. These 6 destinations are sure to impress even the self-professed cocktail snobs among us.
1. Apotheke Cocktail Bar
Tucked away down a mysterious side street in Chinatown, Apotheke has a little something for everyone. The bartenders wear lab coats (Apotheke is German for “pharmacy”), the decor is elegant, and the drinks are truly memorable. Choose from a long list of “prescriptions” (i.e., cocktails) made from freshly-picked herbs and grouped into sections like “aphrodisiacs” and “pain killers.” If you’re feeling extra daring, you can order these cure-alls by the pitcher.
Apotheke Cocktail Bar is located at 9 Doyers Street.
2. Death & Co.
Death & Co. is how you might feel after a wild night on the town — but it’s also an acclaimed cocktail lounge in the bustling East Village. Bring a date, friends, or go solo to Death’s doorstep and imbibe at an institution that has inspired bartending trends across the country. Death & Co., which has been mixing spirits for over a decade, is known for its vast menu (their cocktail book has a whopping 500 recipes) and experimental drink-making techniques.
Death & Co. is located at 433 East 6th Street.
3. PDT
PDT stands for “Please Don’t Tell” — although you’ll certainly want to let people know about this downtown speakeasy, which can only be entered through a phone booth in an unassuming hot dog shop next door. You may have to wait several hours for a table, but once you’re in, you can bask in the exclusivity of the small space while enjoying some top-notch cocktails. Order a cheese dog from next door and wash it down with PDT’s bacon-infused bourbon old-fashioned.
PDT is located at 13 Saint Marks Place.
4. Pouring Ribbons
If you’re less concerned with ingredients and more with the way a cocktail makes you feel, Pouring Ribbons is the place for you. Their creative cocktails are rated on a scale from “refreshing” to “spirituous,” and from “comforting” to “adventurous.” Infused spirits, such as cocoa-infused mezcal and tea-infused gin and vodka, are common ingredients in this bar’s unique cocktails.
Pouring Ribbons is located at 225 Avenue B.
5. The Wooly Public
The Wooly Public is the latest venture from the team behind exclusive Financial District restaurant The Wooly, located in the neo-Gothic ground floor of the Woolworth Building. Beverage offerings from the constantly evolving menu include the classics (refreshing riffs on martinis, mojitos, and old-fashioneds) and “original libations designed for our times” — such as the Woolynesia, which includes a surprisingly delicious combination of Old Tom gin, aperol, passion fruit, peach, green chili, lime, cinnamon, and ginger.
The Wooly Public is located at 9 Barclay Street.
6. Dead Rabbit
Dead Rabbit calls itself “the world’s best bar,” which might seem presumptuous — until you taste their drinks. In addition to offering a potent hot buttered rum, this two-floor, 1920s-inspired Irish bar serves up over a dozen whiskeys and a wide range of specialty cocktails with memorable names like “Trigger Happy,” “Chesire Cat,” and “Shoot From The Hip.” Even the menus, which double as comic books, leave a lasting impression.
Dead Rabbit is located at 30 Water Street.
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