High-End Cocktails


Pouring Ribbons, New York City


Billy Sunday
Chicago
Matthias Merges, former chef at Charlie Trotter's, presides over a cozy parlor in the up-and-coming Logan Square hood.
The Vibe: Antique china and reclaimed chandeliers recall late-19th-century watering holes.
The Drinks: Inventive with exotic ingredients, like a daiquiri made with rhum agricole, Jamaican overproof white rum, lime, passion-fruit syrup, and pineapple bitters.


Hop Sing Laundromat
Philadelphia
The 1,000-bottle inventory and the enigmatic, always cuff-linked owner-host known only as Lêe are just two of the draws at this red-hot Chinatown spot.
The Vibe: A feel of aristocratic exclusivity, thanks to Victorian accents and Lêe's strict house rules (no sneakers, no photos).
The Drinks: A mix of pre-Prohibition-era picks (like the orange-and-lemon-juice-laced Ward 8) and modern interpretations.


Middle Branch
New York City
Sasha Petraske touches down in Midtown, bringing a subdued elegance to fratty Murray Hill.
The Vibe: The bi-level bar is spacious downstairs and has an intimate living-room feel upstairs.
The Drinks: Classic cocktails (including a Queen's Park Swizzle) or bartender's choice.


Pouring Ribbons
New York City
Mixology stars Jason Cott, Troy Sidle, Toby Maloney and Joaquín Simó raise East Village tippling to new heights in this airy, absinthe-hued bar.
The Vibe: Well-heeled Manhattanites crowd the 88-seat room, lit by Art Deco fixtures.
The Drinks: Impeccably crafted cocktails like the Prabu Punch, a mix of whiskey, lemon, spiced pumpkin, orange cordial, and bitters.


Vessel
Seattle
The groundbreaking cocktail bar recently reopened in a brand-new, downtown space.
The Vibe: Cement pillars and exposed ducts give the room an austere coolness.
The Drinks: The recipes of 25 rotating bartenders are bolstered by an in-house ice program.





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