Cocktails in NYC are not just drinks this summer—they are destinations.

Summer in New York is a feeling. It is sun-warmed sidewalks, the clink of ice in a glass, and that moment when the right drink meets the right kind of evening. This season, the city’s cocktail culture is all in on frozen textures, bold riffs, and elevated ease—designed for rooftop hangs, patio people-watching, and those unhurried afternoons that stretch into something more.

We went looking for the cocktails that feel like summer: crisp, citrusy, maybe a little wild, and always worth the second round. Here is our edit of five seasonal standouts that are as much about the setting as the sip.

Jackdaw [Frozen Lychee Martini]

📍 213 2nd Avenue—East Village

Some cocktails feel made for summer, and the Frozen Lychee Martini at Jackdaw tastes exactly like the city exhaling. This East Village bar transforms the cult-favorite lychee martini into something icy, floral, and wildly photogenic. Vodka meets the gentle sweetness of lychee in a slushie format that feels more like a breeze than a drink—clean, elegant, and unbothered by the heat.

But what really makes it sing is the rhythm of the block. Golden hour settles in, the outdoor tables buzz with low conversation, and the $8 midweek special [Wednesdays and Thursdays] turns this $14 cocktail into a warm-weather ritual. It is not just refreshing—it is an invitation to pause, sip slowly, and let the summer unfold one chilled sip at a time.

Café Maud [Frozen Aperol Spritz]

📍 132 2nd Avenue—East Village

At Café Maud, summer arrives in full Technicolor. Their Frozen Aperol Spritz is a riff on the classic Italian staple that leans into playfulness without losing its edge. Aperol, Prosecco, and citrus are blended into a silky slush that practically glows in the sunlight. It is sharp, sunny, and just bitter enough to make you come back for a second sip.

Inside, the energy is East Village through and through—stylish without the pretense. Outside, the sidewalk scene is bright and effortless, especially during happy hour, where $9 gets you this drink from 3 to 6 PM, Monday through Friday [regularly $16]. It is a cocktail that matches the city’s mood: casual, buzzy, and full of possibility.

Bar Bianchi [Giuseppe Spritz]

📍 5 Avenue A—East Village

Bar Bianchi does not announce itself—it invites. Tucked into the corner of Avenue A and Houston, this Milanese-inspired spot is a slow-sipper’s dream, where checkerboard tiles, Italian film posters, and conversation form the backdrop. The Giuseppe Spritz fits seamlessly into this picture. Elderflower, Aperitivi Bianco, and mint served in a generous glass, equal parts floral, herbaceous, and understated.

But it is not just a nod to aperitivo culture—it is a small escape in a glass. It cools the edges of a warm evening and turns a simple drink into an easy escape. The kind of drink you sip with one elbow on the table, a page halfway turned in your book, and the city humming quietly around you.

GITANO NYC [Kisses in the Car]

📍 Pier 17, 89 South Street—Seaport District [seasonal entrance via Seaport Boulevard]

Behind the velvet palms and beneath the soft lantern glow, GITANO NYC serves summer not as a season, but a state of mind. Located in the Seaport District, this open-air escape channels Tulum energy with a New York edge—lush, dramatic, and unmistakably atmospheric. And at the center of its cocktail menu is a drink that sounds like a secret: Kisses in the Car.

The cocktail blends mezcal, rum, passion fruit, orange, and a kiss of habanero—just enough to warm the back of your throat without stealing the spotlight. It is bright, smoky, flirtatiously spicy, and wildly sippable, especially when the DJ set kicks in and the skyline begins to shimmer behind the palms.

It is the kind of cocktail that makes you feel like you are getting away with something. Which, in the middle of Manhattan, might be the whole point.

Superbueno [Green Mango Martini]

📍 13 1st Avenue—East Village

If summer had a scent, Superbueno would bottle it in a cocktail. This East Village bar, known for its irreverent yet refined Mexican-American creations, takes flavor seriously. And nowhere is that more clear than in the Green Mango Martini.

Blanco tequila forms the base, but it is the mango distillate, Sauternes, green mango, and honey that bring nuance and warmth. A delicate drizzle of chili oil floats atop, adding heat that blooms softly, never overwhelms. It is vibrant, unexpected, and sophisticated—like the space itself, where every drink feels like a collaboration between cultures and eras.

This is not your standard martini. It is a summer mood layered with spice, fruit, and a touch of sunlight.

Honorable Mention

Dubai Me a Drink at Sungold [Arlo Williamsburg]

📍Sungold at Arlo Williamsburg, 96 Wythe Avenue—Williamsburg, Brooklyn

As pistachio-laced Dubai chocolate bars flood shelves at Trader Joe’s and Costco, one Brooklyn bar just took the viral favorite to its next logical destination: your cocktail glass.

Sungold, the elegant, seasonally-driven restaurant inside Arlo Williamsburg, recently unveiled Dubai Me a Drink. A cocktail that captures the decadent essence of those green-and-gold wrapped treats. Created by Bar Captain Armando Acevedo, this sultry summer drink taps into a rising trend: nostalgic flavor storytelling through cocktails.

The recipe reads like a luxurious memory—housemade pistachio cream, rich chocolate liqueur, roasted pistachios, crispy kataifi, and a kiss of saffron. The result? Unexpected, bold, and quietly extravagant. Comforting, yet lavish.

More than just an Instagram moment, Dubai Me a Drink captures the imagination—remixing beloved flavors into something transportive and original.

It is part of a broader evolution across NYC’s cocktail scene. Drinks no longer chase novelty alone, but root themselves in cultural memory and collective craving. And this summer? Pistachio and saffron are having a moment.

It is not just a drink—it is a moment.

The Flavor of the Season? These Cocktails in NYC

Summer in New York does not just arrive—it unfurls. It lingers in sidewalk shadows, clinks against glassware, and drips slowly down the side of something frozen and fizzy. Cocktails in NYC are not just about what is in the glass. They are about the setting, the company, and those golden in-between hours that feel like a secret.

Whether you are on a breezy rooftop, tucked into a palm-lined courtyard, or savoring the quiet of a neighborhood bar, this season’s drinks are sharp, chilled, and made to be remembered.

For a full roundup of standout Things to Do this Summer in NYC, do not miss our Summer in NYC Guide

Planning your best summer yet? Don’t miss our Summer in NYC Guide for a curated edit of standout things to do, see, and savor all season long.