NYC's 7 Best Fall Cocktails
Though fall started off warm this year in New York City, we all know what lies ahead. These cocktails manage to nestle right in the middle of a hot and cold breeze, served over ice while incorporating honey, pumpkin, apples and even moonshine to prepare for those bleaker days in which the sun hides for longer. The variety and innovation across cocktails in the city this season proves inspirational now that we’ve all gotten tired of tiki drinks and rum-served-most-ways.
Maison Sherry Cobbler
Maison Premiere
Falling leaves heralds in the season of pie. Besides being a play on words (accidental—the drink version comes from the shape of the ice used, which may also be how the dessert got its name, but I digress), this cocktail also twists the concept of fall’s best dessert into something liquid and alcoholic using a variety of sherriess: Amontillado, Manzanilla, Oloroso, and Pedro Ximénez. Blueberry jam certainly cements the sherry-filled concoction’s pie status, and lemon supplies the dessert’s much-needed tartness. (298 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn; 347-335-0446)
French Creek Fizz
Pouring Ribbons
Apple cider and maple mark the season in this comforting beverage. The combination of Laird’s Bonded Apple Brandy and Uncle John’s Hard Cider not only makes this cocktail sound like it was created by your elderly relatives, it also gives it a refreshing kick made sweet by the additions of maple and root beer. Bitters and lemon, meanwhile, help bring out the crisp taste of apple in this autumn-inspired beverage. (225 Ave. B, 2nd Floor; 917-656-6788)
Jasmine
The Raines Law Room
Seasonal cocktails from Raines Law Room emphasize one taste this fall, and that is bitter. The Jasmine epitomizes this with Campari, Cointreau, and lemon juice, not to mention the cocktail’s essential component, Beefeater Gin. Served shaken over crushed ice, it honors the warmth that’s kept creeping into fall this year. (48 West 17th St.)
Tree House
Clover Club
For many, fall means moving from rum drinking to whiskey drinking, and the Tree House makes this transition a smooth one. Rye whiskey and aged rum come together for a warm, sweet cocktail that gets even sweeter with macadamia nut syrup and mole bitters. The nutty, chocolatey taste provided by the add-ons give this drink its name and its unique flavor. You’ll be hard pressed to find a close replica at other cocktail bars around the city. (210 Smith St., Brooklyn; 718-855-7939)
Peter Peter
Tipsy Parson
This Southern-themed restaurant wholeheartedly embraces the season when it comes to cocktails. Though all on their menu could make this list, Peter Peter stands out because it includes Pumpkin King Cordial and Honeycrisp apples. Dutch’s Sugarwash Moonshine gives the drink the Tipsy Parson’s signature down South flair, but it will also warm you up as the temperature approaches winter lows. (156 9th Ave.; 212-620-4545)
The D&S
Orient Express
Though Falernum tends to make its way into cocktails more traditionally associated with summer, Velvet Falernum here mixes with ginger beer to create a crisper quality redolent of autumn. Two kinds of rum (10 Cane Rum and Kraken Spiced Rum) and some lime create a solution for those who love rum but have trouble finding cocktails with the liquor that acclimate to cooler temperatures. (325 West 11th St.; 212-691-8845)
Lewis & Clark
Huckleberry Bar
Since there’s a dearth of vodka on this list, the Lewis & Clark fills in the gap with a Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka base mixed with Lagunitas IPA, which makes for a surprisingly pleasant combination. Adding in apple-pear puree, lemon juice, and honey syrup creates a cocktail that’s leaning towards a cold weather beverage (thanks to the lemon juice and honey, of course) while also providing the sharp taste of fall with apples and bitter IPA on top of the herb-flavored vodka. (588 Grand St., Brooklyn; 718-218-8555)
Photo via Clover Club
