Cocktail Trail New York: The Best Sips In The Big Apple

New York City is the booming epicenter of many great things: fashion, finance, food and… cocktails. In fact, no visit to the Big Apple is complete without a taste (or many) of expertly mixed cocktails. The city is, after all, the birthplace of many famous concoctions including the Tim Collins, Bloody Mary, Manhattan, Long Island Tea and of course – Cosmopolitans of Sex And the City fame. When you’re in New York, treat yourself to some sumptuous sips at these cocktail bars.

#1 Bemelmans Bar

Where: Ground Floor of The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel, 35 East 76th Street

What: Undoubtedly one of New York’s finest watering holes, sipping a cocktail at Bemelmans Bar is the epitome of classic New York style. Located in the swanky Upper East Side neighbourhood, the bar was named after Ludwig Bemelmans, who created the classic Madeline children’s books. Like his books, his namesake bar has a timeless charm (and an extensive drink menu) that’s favoured by everyone who’s anyone.

#2 The Campbell Apartment

Where: 15 Vanderbilt Avenue Entrance (between 42nd and 43rd Streets), Grand Central Terminal

What:  New York City’s Grand Central Terminal is a testament to the beautiful and grandiose bustle that the city is loved for, and The Campbell Apartment is the perfect refuge within that chaos. Once the luxurious office of business mogul John W. Campbell, this glamorous lounge reminiscent of the Gatsby era has been voted as one of the best bars in America for its well-crafted cocktails.

#3 Dutch Kills

Where: 27-24 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City, Queens

What: After an afternoon at the MoMA, which is only a few blocks away, Dutch Kills offers another form of art to take in – served in glasses. A cocktail revival establishment that’s cosy and cool without pretension, settle into one of the high booths and enjoy any of the modern mixes or classic cocktails (pssst – it’s said that they make the best Old-Fashioned cocktail right here).

#4 Death & Company

Where: 433 East 6th Street, East Village

What: Don’t let the brooding name deter you. When the Voldstead Act brought nightlife to a halt in 1919, consuming alcohol was likened to living a life shadowed by death – and that alcohol and those associated with it were “death and company”. Thus came about the name of this romantic cocktail den whose signature sips are Thieves in Law (Tanqueray Malacca gin, macadamia syrup, lemon juice and Granny Smith apple juice) and the Mental Cabaret (whiskey, lemon juice, poppy seed syrup, amontillado sherry and acacia honey syrup).

#5 Apothéke

Where: 9 Doyers Street #1

What: There is a science to making great cocktails – and the lab coat wearing mixologists at Apothéke have gotten that science down to a T. Tucked away in a corner in Chinatown, the bar resembles an old apothecary where the ‘pharmacists’ will prescribe you delicious concoctions prepared the old school way –  using organic, locally-sourced produce or picked straight from their rooftop herb garden.

#6 King Cole Bar

Where: The St. Regis Hotel, 2 East 55th Street

What: Named after the Maxfield Parish mural that overlooks the oak bar, “Old King Cole” has watched over many famous faces as they sipped their cocktails, including  Salvador Dali, Marilyn Monroe, Joe DiMaggio, Babe Paley and John Lennon. In fact, the bar is a star in its own right, having appeared in several movies including The Devil Wears Prada, Hannah and her Sisters, Radio Days and The First Wives’ Club. Oh, and it’s also the birthplace of the Bloody Mary cocktail.

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