New York has a remarkable collection of historic cocktail bars. We get it if you’re a pub-crawl type of person or if you usually prefer to stay at home with a glass of wine and Netflix, but these bars and their diverse cocktails are definitely worth trying.
Angel’s Share
Established in 1994 in the East Village, this place followed certain etiquettes that are becoming harder and harder to find: people cam mostly in two, sat down and enjoyed their Martinis with small sidecars in a somewhat quiet way. Sasha Petraske was responsible for seeing the potential the bar had to offer. The decor and different ambiance made Angel’s Share a unique spot in Manhattan.
Attaboy (formerly Milk & Honey)
Angel’s Share is so iconic that it inspired Sasha Petraske to create Attaboy. The cocktails have his signature style- served in chilled glass ware over a large-format ice. He has trained the two owners that are also master bartenders. Despite having changed its name three years ago, the establishment’s elegance and sophistication is intact. Oh, and there’s no menu!
Flatiron Lounge
This bar tends to be underrated among the top cocktail bars but its power is tremendous. It opened in 2003 and was abel to bring craft cocktails to the masses. The focus was to make drinks in efficient ways without decreasing the quality of them. And that’s exactly what co-owner Julie Reiner did. Speaking of quality, here is a recommendation for you: order a Flatiron Martini- the signature martini made with vodka, Cointreau, and Lillet.
Employees Only
Inaugurated in 2004 in the West Village, this bar is the perfect balance between the old and the new. They still appreciate and keep some traditions while adding a flare of attitude such as free-poured drinks.
Pegu Club
You know this place was good because it got VIP treatment from the media as soon as it opened in SoHo in 2005. The secret to its success is how much of a time capsule it is the time capsule vibe it has. The menu almost hasn’t changed at all since opening and you can still order items like Gin-Gin Mule, Early Great Mar-TEA-ni and Little Italy.
Death & Co
The modern aesthetic of the NY cocktail- brown, bitter and stirred- was created here. From the beginning in 2007, the East Village bar was run by bartenders, who keep adding more of their inventions to the menu. As of now, there are 30 drinks to choose from.