Anyone who spent time on the Bowery twenty years ago would barely recognize it today—boutique hotels, luxury condos, and restaurants galore. Peels is the latest edition to 2010's Bowery, occuping a bi-level space on the corner of East 2nd Street,... More

Having a good local bar is key, especially in a city like New York, where cramped quarters often make gathering en masse at someone's apartment impractical and uncomfortable. What makes a local particularly good? Proximity to one's home is essential,... More

Sometimes, just a tiny tweak to a classic gives it a little boost. Chestnut, on Smith Street in Carroll Gardens, has long been a favorite of mine on the food front, with a reasonably priced menu featuring seasonal food primarily... More

[Photograph: Laren Spirer] Upon first glance, Quarter Bar in Windsor Terrace looks very much like a brew pub, with artfully battered wooden tables and a somewhat rustic feel. But look closely, and you'll find a handful of wines being... More

[Photograph: Laren Spirer] Walking through the doors at Huckleberry Bar transports you from a fairly nondescript block in Williamsburg to a stylish yet comfortable cocktail den—more like something you'd expect to find in Carroll Gardens or the East Village.... More

[Photograph: Laren Spirer] Anfora is primarily a wine bar. Like its sister restaurants, dell'Anima and L'Artusi, it is known for its well-chosen and often unique wine selections, made in large part by partner Joe Campanale. What you might not... More

If you visited many of New York's cocktail bars last week, you might have noticed that some of your familiar faces behind the bar weren't there. They were in New Orleans at Tales of the Cocktail, an annual conference... More

"This is not Jamba Juice." Cucumber Cooler [Photograph: Laren Spirer] There are times in even the most dedicated cocktail lover's life when he or she abstains from alcohol. Maybe you're feeling under the weather, maybe you're on antibiotics, maybe you're... More

[Photograph: Laren Spirer] Grab a friend and go to Cienfuegos, located above the sandwich shop Carteles on 6th Street in the East Village. The reason I suggest you grab a friend is that there is no bar—it's not comfortably... More

[Photograph: Laren Spirer] On a three-day summer weekend with the weather forecast predicting temperatures well into the 90's, a super-cold, super-icy drink sounds mighty appealing. My mind starts wandering to drinks made with crushed ice—juleps, swizzles—and also those fabulous... More