3 of the Hottest Cocktails in NYC... And How You Can Make Them at Home

This post kicks off something new for us: a travel series. Cocktail Builder is hitting the road to hunt down the most exciting drinks being poured at freshly opened bars, and because reading about a great cocktail is only half the fun, every city comes with recipes for making the drinks yourself. Our first stop: New York City. (The series has since rolled through Chicago, LA, and Philadelphia — cheesesteak country pours better than you’d think.)

La Vie en Rose With dark wood, crimson velvet, and glittering chandeliers, The Bar at the Baccarat Hotel is refined, sophisticated, and opulent — just like one of its signature cocktails, La Vie en Rose. Sip on this unique blend of gin, Noilly Prat ambre, green chartreuse, and fino sherry, and we guarantee you’ll feel like an expat living in Paris. See recipe

I Know You Are Originally built in 1835, the _Holiday Cocktail Lounge_was a long-standing fixture in the East Village and a favorite of the neighborhood’s poets and intellectuals. The bar was recently reopened and retains its divey atmosphere, but there are still some upscale cocktails to be had. Case in point: the I Know You Are. Made with mezcal, Cointreau, and Lillet rosé, this cocktail’s a swanky twist on the classic margarita. See recipe

Amalfi Gold You don’t have to book a flight around the world to feel the vibe of the Italian coast. Just head to Santina, where you can grab a seat on the patio, nosh on some carpaccio, and sip an Amalfi Gold made with bourbon, orange, ginger, and peach liqueur. Not in New York? Befriend that neighbor with a pool in their backyard and head on over with a batch of these in hand. Now that’s what we call a win-win situation. See recipe

Of course, making these cocktails at home calls for some seriously chic glassware.

While it may not be Baccarat crystal, this stunning set from Godinger is pretty damn close.

If you’re looking to recreate these NYC-worthy cocktails at home, the key is having the right ingredients on hand. Use Cocktail Builder to search by spirit or flavor and discover recipes that match what’s already in your liquor cabinet.

Last modified on August 6, 2026