After decades of middling brews defined more by convenience than caliber, New York has emerged as an American coffee capital. Cafes that opened in the 1990s and the first decade of the new millennium, which for our purposes we’re calling The Old Guard, reinvigorated the city in multiple ways. They brought smart pulls, pours, and […]
While we’ve certainly got nothing against bars at sea level, sometimes we want to take our drinking game up a notch — and by notch, we mean 10,000 feet. Don’t worry, we’re not talking about swigging $7 mini-bottles of booze on our next American Airlines flight.
It was a long winter in NYC. On a surprisingly sunny Sunday afternoon in early March, however, a few days after a nor’easter hit, Brooklyn’s Vanderbilt Avenue was teeming with life. Traffic filled the two-lane thoroughfare, and residents seemed eager to make the most out of the first spring-like day of the year.
Amir Babayoff, the cocktail innovator last seen at NYC’s Barley & Grain whiskey bar, was recently tasked with creating the drinks menu for Ophelia, a swish new Manhattan rooftop lounge atop the Beekman Tower. This wouldn’t be just any menu. It had to complement its location in the Beekman Tower, an Art Deco landmark with […]
Chinese food has a reputation. And, like many reputations, it’s pretty unfair. Most Americans are under the misconception that Chinese fare is not especially wine-friendly. Even though the Chinese are now the world’s largest consumers of Bordeaux, and Chinese fine dining is ascendant across the U.S., many diners can’t shake the illusion that the only […]
With skyrocketing sales and famous friends (¡hola, George Clooney!), agave spirits like tequila and mezcal are having a banner year in the United States. Now, savvy bartenders and industry folks are embracing raicilla, a distilled Mexican agave spirit with nuanced, vegetal flavors. Despite its centuries-old history, for many, raicilla remains shrouded in mystery. In part […]
Wassail wasn’t only the first all-cider bar in New York City — it was one of the most acclaimed spots in town. The design was “upscale tavern,” with rich woods and a gorgeous white marble bar top. It offered dozens of obscure ciders on tap and hundreds more in bottles.
In one of Brooklyn’s coolest neighborhoods, free-spirited locals sip on a beverage they say helps them relax, unwind, and socialize. At a similar bar in Berkeley, Cal., students imbibe during a mid-afternoon study session, taking gulps from coconut shells and chasing it with bites from a juicy tangerine. What they’re drinking is called kava. It’s […]
Looking for a healthier happy hour? Cue superfoods. Turmeric, matcha, and the like are popping up in everything these days — including your cocktail. “People are generally more health-conscious these days,” Jason J. Mendenhall, owner and operator of such NYC bars as The Wild Son, The Lost Lady, and The Wayland, says. “Being able to […]
