6 Downtown Hotspots That Will Warm You Up This Winter
It’s that time of year again when the freezing weather tempts you to stay in bed until spring. But the horrific temperatures are no excuse for sabotaging your social life and avoiding the outside world all season long. Tip: Throw on some extra layers and get yourself to one of the many cozy drinking destinations in Manhattan. Head downtown for the best of the bunch, from a celebrity-frequented, speakeasy-inspired Nolita watering hole to an impossibly cool “micro club” on the Lower East Side. It might be cold outside, but these hotspots and their cocktails will warm you up and have you feeling so damn merry this holiday season.
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They say good things come in small packages, and that is especially the case at this little Lower East Side club. The buzzy boîte, which opened in early 2023 and calls itself a “micro club,” is divided into two rooms: a cocktail lounge-cum-listening bar with a turntable and mixer, and a dance floor with an elevated DJ booth where DJs play house, disco, techno, and underground dance music on weekends. Audiophiles will likely lose their minds on the dance floor via the heavenly (sorry, had to!) sound system, which the founder of Cielo and Output designed. The whole place oozes a crazy, sexy, cool atmosphere, from the vibey James Turrell-inspired lighting to the arcade machines (Mortal Kombat!) in the bathroom waiting area. Then there’s the cocktail menu, which heavily features mezcal, sake, and orange wine. Want something light and low in alcohol content? Try the “Needle Drop”: sparkling wine, ume plum liqueur, Nigori sake, and sudachi. Wanna forget what day it is? Then it’s all about the “Kill Streak” cocktail: Japanese vodka, yuzu liqueur, dry sake vermouth, curaçao, and yuzu bitters. For those feeling rich/yearning to time-travel to a Meatpacking District club circa 2006, you’re in luck: Outer Heaven offers bottle service too.
191 Chrystie St, New York, NY
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If fantastic cocktails and rubbing elbows with an A-Lister in a swanky subterranean speakeasy-inspired bar sounds like your kind of night, then follow well-heeled New Yorkers to The Mulberry Bar. But good luck trying to get into this hip hideaway if you’re not on a list or haven’t yet befriended the door person. (Protip: dress to impress and arrive before 9 p.m.) Tucked away in the heart of Nolita, the hype isn’t dying down anytime soon for this sophisticated downstairs drinking den. Its opening night back in February welcomed a sea of celebs, including Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Alexander Skarsgård. Inside, you’ll discover what just might be the most gorgeously lit, vibey spot in all of Manhattan, featuring velvet banquettes, funky murals, a small dancefloor, and impeccable people-watching. On the menu are classic cocktails, like dirty martinis with housemade blue cheese olives, and excellent specials. Grab a stool at the marble bar and warm up with the “Winter Old Fashioned” (Woodinville Bourbon, Allspice dram, and Angostura orange bitters with a winter spice-infused big ice cube).
240 Mulberry St, New York, NY
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Wondering where all the cool kids have gone? Many are drinking quirkily named cocktails such as the citrusy “Only Fans (Link in Bio)” at HiLot on Avenue C. A trippy purple and pink palette dominates the zanily designed cocktail bar, which opened in 2022 and was dreamt up by the team behind Joyface, HiLot’s fun next-door neighbor. Buzz the doorbell to gain entry to the petite-sized haunt, where reservations are recommended to guarantee a seat. Here, the maximalist ‘70s vibes are aplenty, and the space is bedecked with funky plaid carpets, fringed lamps, and a mirrored ceiling. Don’t forget to check out the Instagram-ready bathroom, which curiously features a clawfoot bathtub. And please remove your shoes before diving into the “cuddle puddle love pit,” a 10-seat private padded backroom that looks like it was plucked from a scene in an Austin Powers flick.
102 Avenue C, New York, NY; T. (917) 444-1108
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Everyone seems to be talking about Madeline’s Martini, the moodily lit Alphabet City speakeasy that opened its graffiti-covered doors in April. Once inside, you’ll notice a sophisticated-meets-eccentric, somewhat peacock-themed atmosphere: there’s peacock paintings as well as a taxidermied peacock perched above a vintage cigarette machine. Expect lots of designer-clad patrons cozying up at the classy candlelit 12-seat bar up front and knocking back martinis in the green velvet banquette-lined back room, where there is an exposed brick fireplace and a DJ booth. As for Madeline’s martinis? There are many, including one with mezcal and sea lettuce brine, and they all cost $18. Are you overwhelmed with the options? Stick with “The Classic”—it perfectly pairs with the black caviar and horseradish sandwich—and thank us later.
171 Avenue C, New York, NY
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Cozy up with a glass of natural wine at Spēs, a warm and intimate natural wine bar and Italian restaurant. Opened a little over a year ago, this candlelit, brick-walled joint offers 100-plus bottles, and they’re exclusively served by the glass. But there’s no wine list to Google before making a reservation. At the restaurant, you’re handed a paper game spinner that is meant to help you decide on your order. It goes something like this: choose the color of the wine you want and the mood you’re in, and then the waiters bring out some options and discuss them in depth. It’s a cute, well-suited game for a first date, but you could always just close your eyes, point to anywhere on the wall of wine bottles, and get to drinking. Also on the menu are cocktails, mocktails, and yummy Italian fare. This includes endless antipasti options (olives; grilled octopus; Buffalo mozzarella with anchovies and lemon) and pasta dishes that are rather fancy, from Tagliolini (ribbon-shaped pasta) with fresh lobster tail to Mafalde (another type of ribbon-shaped pasta) with white lamb (from New Zealand) ragù, truffle butter, and juniper berries.
413 E 12th St, New York, NY; T. (917) 388-3919
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This ornate, sprawling bar is among the city’s most inviting settings for a cocktail or three. Located inside Tribeca’s impossibly stylish Roxy Hotel, the devilishly good-looking space evokes a glitzy old-school jazz club sans cigarette smoke. On any given night, you’ll find hotel guests and in-the-know Manhattanites sipping craft cocktails in plush, low-slung leather seating while the boutique hotel’s resident pianist or a rotating roster of local jazz musicians takes the stage. Order the aptly named “Pretty & Punk” (Campari, Carpano Antica sweet vermouth, Giffard pineapple, Kalani coconut, sparkling wine) for something strong yet sweet. Classics like the Roxy Manhattan and the Roxy Martini are great, too. Speaking of classics, go on and pair your tipples with a burger. (The Roxy serves classic American fare all day until 11 PM.) PS: Their sunset menu (4 PM-6 PM), featuring specially priced wine by the glass, draft beer, and oysters, is not to be missed.
2 6th Ave, New York, NY; T. (212) 519-6661
WORDS Alex Catarinella
FEATURED IMAGE @hilotnyc
