New York City’s Most Unique Places to Grab a Drink this Winter

Do you hear that? With shorter days and colder temperatures, Old Man Winter’s knocks are signaling another freezing season.

But don’t worry—there’s a silver lining: cocktails to sip and savor, a little consolation for the lack of sunlight. From the chic French vibes of a Parisian icon in Tribeca to the bold Chinese-inspired cocktails on the Lower East Side, or even a Greek beach house in Brooklyn, here’s where you should head this winter to unwind, drink up, and try something new.

Psaraki

Located on the trendy Williamsburg waterfront, the brand new Greek restaurant Psaraki offers a bit of warmth no matter the season. Designed like a beach house, its windows look out onto the crashing waves of the East River, which almost makes you think you’re on a sunny Grecian island. The mastermind behind it all is owner James Paloumbis, a two-decade long veteran in hospitality known for his Manhattan restaurants Merakia and MexiBBQ.

The name here translates to “little fish” and the menu is filled with fresh, succulent seafood and other Greek delights, including Kritharoto (seafood and creamy orzo pasta) and cheesecake made from feta and Carob barley rusks.

Order this: The rotating cocktail menu is just as much as a crowd pleaser, which includes their Yogo, a lemon vodka concoction with Greek yogurt. Get the Santorini Margarita, an in-house specialty made with tequila, Assyrtiko wine & Greek thyme honey syrup.

Pizzeria Jules

Steps from trendy DUMBO in the charming Brooklyn Heights neighborhood, Jules, which opened up last fall, is a testament to the fact that a pizza place can make for a classy night out without breaking the bank. The classic pies are perfectly crisp, topped with a succulent red sauce while their adventurous offerings are just as delicious, including the Soppressata Picante, with top-quality sausage, peppers, and cheese. The whole operation is housed in a space that has had serious neighborhood cred for decades, and Jules seems to proudly continue that tradition, judging by the loyal crowds every night.

Order this: While the cocktail menu is small but mighty, nothing goes better with red sauce and Italian than a cold beer or glass of red wine.

Grand Bar at the Soho Grand Hotel

For an elevated night out, the Soho Grand Hotel, nestled in the heart of its eponymous neighborhood, has been a beacon of sophistication and chic dining since opening in 1996. Walk into its austere lobby and saunter up the fancy steps to the hotel’s nucleus, its Grand Bar which boasts a menu of celebratory dishes. Want lobster with your Caesar Salad? No problem.

Order this: As for the gold-polished marble top oak bar where guests sit on leather stools, the menu here ranges from impeccable versions of bar classics (including an expertly made martini) and well-thought-out cocktails that tow the line between fun and approachable. Do yourself a favor and order the “Passions Are High,” a cocktail which mixes Casamigos tequila with Chinola, Morita pepper, lime, and pineapple.

Sweetbriar

From one hotel to another, Sweetbriar, located in the Park South Hotel, stands as a delightful salute to elevated, yet approachable American drinking and dining. Here, comfort food is key: cornbread, burgers, hangar steak and expertly cooked Russet potatoes rule the menu. Craving spinach dip? They have that, too. Throw in a regular music series on the weekends and cocktail-focused experiences (including a recent tequila mixology class) and you have yourself a happening destination. And, if you come back in the summer, you’ll have to check out its hotspot offshoot: The Roof at Park South.

Order this: The aptly-named American Beauty cocktail; with Rose Hip Luksosowa Vodka, lemon, rose water, egg white and topped with a flutter of rose buds.

Titsou Bar

In Paris, Hôtel Barrière Fouquet is a crown jewel in the City of Lights; a local landmark akin to the Eiffel Tower or Arc de Triomphe. France’s rich and famous have gathered at the iconic space which originally began as a cafe and then expanded into a hotel where its elegance and painstaking attention to detail expands into the entire operation. Naturally, their other location in New York, nestled in the Tribeca neighborhood, channels that same sense of elegance, making you feel as though you’re in the heart of Paris. But you don’t have to stay there to experience its charm.

Have a drink at the speakeasy-style Titsou Bar, an eye-popping Art Deco space which harkens back to the 1920s and boasts a marble bar and cocktails equally innovative and classic.

Order this: You’re surrounded by a throwback elegance, so why imbibe in a Dirty Martini? Close your eyes and you’ll be in Paris in no time.

Jade & Clover

Located in Chinatown, Jade & Clover is the acclaimed cocktail bar renowned for blending Irish and Chinese influences into stunning, bespoke cocktails you’ll be thinking about long after you’ve left. If adventurous libations are your speed, look no further, as the watering hole boasts a menu full of them.

One of their secret weapons is including the famed Chinese liquor Baijiu, one of the most popular cocktails in the world. The bar has a special relationship with the brand Ming River, a Sichuan-style Baijiu crafted at China’s oldest distillery, Luzhou Laojiao (open since 1573) which aims to introduce the beloved drink, and its many customs, to a western audience.

Order this: The Peachy River, a Ming River Baijiu cocktail made with Mizu Sochu green tea, Lillet Blanc and rare Japanese Wakamomo peaches.

The post New York City’s Most Unique Places to Grab a Drink this Winter appeared first on Chilled Magazine.