What to Drink in NYC Right Now (September 2024)
When the VinePair team isn’t busy working at HQ, we’re in the field doing what we do best: scoping out the best cocktails, wine, and beer in the five boroughs. Here are the cool, current, and flat-out excellent drinks you should try in New York right now, according to our editors.
Martini ‘Our Way’ at Le Veau d’Or
Credit: Geo Rivera
While we’re secure in our go-to Martini specs, we’ll happily leave them at the door of the newly reborn Upper East Side bistro Le Veau d’Or. The house build of Old Raj overproof gin, fino sherry vermouth, and orange bitters is exemplary on its own. But the real magic comes in the form of a vermouth highball that hits your table at the exact same time, containing mineral water and the “dirty ice” the Martini was stirred with. It’s bar director Sarah Morrissey’s effervescent, new-school nod to an old-school practice, and we plan on trekking uptown for it again and again.
Tomatini at L’Americana
Credit: VinePair Staff
A much more deft take on the trendy, mozzarella-studded Caprese Martini, L’Americana’s Tomatini has the bright and sweet freshness of tomato water with the herbal backbone of gin, basil, and Genepi. If the cream cheese throws you off, know that it’s merely used for fat-washing and provides body and richness to the final drink, which is rimmed with parsley salt and topped with verdant parsley oil, a perfect finishing touch.
Oregon Chenin Blanc at Plus de Vin
Credit: VinePair Staff
There’s no shortage of wine bars in Brooklyn, but it’s still delightful each time a new one opens. At Plus de Vin, drinkers can opt for a by-the-glass pour or inspect a stunning wall of colorful vessels that acts as a visual bottle list. We went for a glass of the St. Reginald Parish Laser Tag Chenin Blanc, a rich and expressive example of Chenin from the Omero Vineyard in Oregon’s Ribbon Ridge AVA. Enjoy some while admiring the plants out on the bar’s covered back patio.
Doctor’s Orders at Nomad Tea Parlour
Credit: VinePair Staff
This Nomad dim sum spot is comically close to VinePair HQ, but even if it wasn’t, we’d return for the beverage program’s spin on a Vesper. It’s as fresh as a Martini gets, its split base lifted skyward by an earthy, floral blend of Cocchi Americano, ginseng, and shiitake. Served with a sidecar and dueling lemon and orange peels for a choose-your-own-adventure garnish, the drink’s practically medicinal post-shift.
Espresso Tonic at Gus’s
Credit: Courtesy of Gus’s
Earlier this summer, chef-proprietor Chris McDade changed the direction of his Carroll Gardens restaurant, dropping “Chop House” from the name and reimagining the menu so that Gus’s could better serve residents of the neighborhood. Part of this new direction included introducing Sunday brunch, with a dedicated drinks menu designed by renowned NYC bartender Sother Teague. One of its standouts: the Espresso Tonic. Composed of house-made espresso syrup, fresh lemon juice, vodka, and tonic, this highball defies conventional perception of java-spiked cocktails. Bright and refreshing, it leans into the fruitier notes of coffee, tempers the bitterness of tonic, and provides just a subtle kick off caffeine that won’t leave you feeling too buzzed if you’ve already finished your morning cup of coffee (or two).
Pizza-Paired Wines at Oma Grassa
Credit: Oma Grassa Instagram
This past month, we’ve really been enjoying the entire wine list at Oma Grassa in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. The restaurant is a rarity in NYC these days: still affordable, with incredible food and a killer and approachable wine list with both natty and clean wine to satisfy all palates. The chef and owner Adam Baumgart curates the list himself, and we always find a wine we love that goes perfectly with his pizza.
Major Tom at Sama Street
Credit: Same Street Instagram
While a cocktail containing five-plus unusual ingredients may win curiosity, the finished product can be a letdown. That’s far from the case with the Asian-inspired Major Tom at Greenpoint’s Sama Street. The drink’s herbal base of gin and shochu holds down the fort while ginger, lemongrass, chili, and fish sauce bring spice and salinity into the picture. Coconut cream and cherry tomato take on welcome supporting roles, sweetening the whole deal. Bowie would be proud.
Transitional White Wines at Somm Time
Credit: VinePair Staff
This Lower East Side wine bar serves up a rotating cast of bottles, and its current selection of crisp whites blew us away. The Silvaner on offer from Weinbau Hans Wirsching wowed with its delicate minerality and rich apple, pear, and citrus flavors. With an underlying hint of herbaceousness, the wine is equal parts refreshing and comforting, ideal for enjoying as summer bleeds into autumn. Take your glass outside and snag a table on Broome Street for some prime people-watching.
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