While those spicy margaritas and moody whiskey pours will forever be staples, New York’s cocktail scene continues to see drinks leaning toward super savory and umami-forward concoctions. No, we don’t just mean a little seaweed garnish here or feta olive there, but drinks featuring a proprietary MSG brine or birria broth.
Some bartenders, like Noeli Sanabria, general manager at Temple Bar, gravitate toward gin for its salinity, citrus, and botanicals. Others, such as Miguel Munoz of Altair find brown spirits to be “perfect because their warmth and depth really amplify savory notes.” He added things like mushroom butter, herbs, and lightly smoked ingredients layer beautifully to create a balanced and flavorful drink.
Maybe you want to try a super briny martini the color of swamp water. Or, go for a highball topped off with soy sauce and rice vinegar. Maybe a shot of birria consumé to accompany your beer is more your style. No matter the choice, these NYC bars succeed at doing savory and rich cocktails for everyone.
Bonnie’s
It’s hard to have any savory cocktail conversation without Bonnie’s entering the chat. The Brooklyn-based, Cantonese-American spot maintains a strong following thanks to clever interpretations of fast food classics like the McRib, which features cha siu glazed pork on a milk bun.
The MSG used in the marinade for the sandwich is echoed on the cocktail menu. For obvious reasons, it’s been a super seller for the four years Bonnie’s has operated. It doesn’t matter whether you choose gin or vodka, the real star of the show is the proprietary MSG olive brine. The blackcurrant-forward Ribena Highball also adds a dose of umami thanks to sugar, spirulina, and MSG mixture surrounding the rim. If you want a zero-proof savory drink, the Cilantro Soda also hits the spot. 398 Manhattan Ave., Williamsburg, Brooklyn, bonniesbrooklyn.com
Seed Library
You don’t have to be in the know to get a Koji Hardshake, the savory cocktail is for all fans of Mr. Lyan’s, aka Ryan Chetiyawardana, establishments. The unique beverage mimics a whiskey sour, but comprises Johnnie Walker Black and Red Labels with miso syrup.
“At the heart of the drink is a deeply savory miso syrup, which acts as the primary flavor driver and brings a complex, umami backbone to the cocktail,” said Seed Library’s head bartender, Isaiah Sergeant. The truffle oil roasted marshmallow also adds an unexpected flair. 51 E. 30th St., Midtown, seedlibrarynyc.com
Temple Bar
In a city with a never-ending list of new places to try, Temple Bar has consistently been the go-to spot for repeat visits. Insanely popular in the 1990s for the martinis, the space reopened in late 2021 with a fresh, sexy look and even more savory drink options.
Peruse the cocktail menu and choose from a handful of martinis. For example, the Dirty Bleu and the Dirty Vodka, which include blue cheese olives and olive brine. Don’t overlook the Salt & Pepper Martini, general manager Noeli Sanabria described it as “softly savory.” Add on an $18 caviar bump to up that umami score even more. 332 Lafayette St., NoHo, templebar.co
Little Rascal
With olive oil-washed vodka, feta brine, clarified tomato juice, olives, MSG, and a pickled onion, the Aegean Martini at the Little Rascal location in Brooklyn has all the right savory notes. Thanks to the tall and thin Turkish raki glass and surrounding ice, the drink remains frigid through sipping without dilution.
The original Little Rascal opened in SoHo 10 years ago, followed by a sister spot in Brooklyn in 2022. In partnership with mixologist Keith Larry, formerly of Employees Only, the waterfront destination remains high on views and taste. Like the specialty martini, the food options reflect Mediterranean flavors like the Red Zhoug Shakshouka and Feta Phyllo Rolls.
The food menu stays similar across the bridge. But on the savory cocktail side, you’ll have to settle for another. Try the Portrait of Ivy, a light concoction made with verdant sotol, fresh cilantro, coconut, green tea, and a touch of mandarin. 163 Elizabeth St., Nolita; 130 Franklin St., Greenpoint, Brooklyn, littlerascalrestaurant.com
The Stand
Standup comedy venues probably bring to mind half-laughs and watered down cranberry vodkas. But The Stand in Union Square comes full of laughs and an impressive drinks menu featuring more than 240 bottles of whiskey.
Yes, the cocktail menu offers drinks aptly named The Joker, One Liner, and Heckler, but it’s The Booker that hits the savory notes. It’s not going anywhere either. Beverage director Deena Sayers said there’s been a continued desire for savory cocktails, and though the menu changes seasonally, The Booker will stay.
Inside the celebrated drink find a vodka that’s been lightly fat-washed with white truffle oil and accented by the black truffle shavings the bartender swirls around an ice cold glass. The cocktail finishes with a rim of mezsal, an umami-rich black truffle salt. It just may be the most sophisticated sip one can have while watching a 90-minute comedy set. 116 East 16th St., Union Square, thestandnyc.com
SuperBueno
Mexican American bar SuperBueno opened in 2023 and maintains a reputation as the cocktail bar you have to visit again and again. The vibe feels relaxed, and when paired with playful drinks chockfull of satisfying Mexican flavors, it’s easy to see why people flock here. The savory cocktails have a draw too, such as the mezcal-laced Mole Negroni or the Mushroom Margarita, which incorporates the earthy and nutty huitlacoche, or Mexican truffle.
The Dashi Papi, SuperBueno’s version of a boilermaker, also leans toward the savory side and includes a can of the Mexican lager Monopolio, spiced with Valentina hot sauce on the rim and warming shots of mezcal and birria consomé on the side. One may not be enough to fully understand the flavor magic, so you’ll have to book another jaunt to the East Village. 13 1st Ave., East Village, superbuenonyc.com
Altair
The Arlo Midtown’s restaurant Altair has always leaned toward savory cocktails, said beverage director Miguel Munoz. The cocktail menu is broken down into earth, air, water, and fire categories. On the water side, the EVOO may be one of the clearest martinis you’ve ever sampled, but comes laced with feta and blue cheese olives for salinity.
For earth, Munoz described the Wild Mushroom as an “earthy take on the old fashioned” thanks to the mushroom and butter infused bourbon. The addition of sugar and orange bitters keeps the drink from feeling too sharp, and pairs perfectly with the citrus-y hamachi crudo and of course, the wild mushroom ravioli. 351 W. 38th St., Midtown, altairnyc.com
Reyna
Reyna first opened in Toronto, though the food menu weighs heavy with Mediterranean tapas including Lebanese tacos, lamb baklava, and a range of fries seasoned with za’atar, date ketchup, or lemon-feta aioli. You’ll also see those flavors reflected in the cocktail selection. One of the bar’s most popular drinks is the Please Sir, Some Meaux, a brie cheese washed bourbon drink topped with a red wine floater.
“It’s like sipping on a cheese board and wine,” said creative director Natasha Pomnikow.
Influenced by its Canadian roots, Reyna serves a classic Clamato-based Caesar drink with a lavish garnish of pickle, olive, a prosciutto-wrapped date, and manchego. “It’s balanced with acidity and freshness so it never feels heavy,” added Pomnikow. “Every sip has a little salt, a little spice, and a little brightness.” 11 E. 13th St., Union Square, reynanewyork.com
Shinji’s
With less than 20 seats, the space is cozy without being cramped, perfect for sushi and a dazzling cocktail. If there’s one drink that perfectly compliments the freshly-flown-in salmon or bluefin tuna it would be the Handroll, a vodka highball infused with freeze-dried ginger and steeped in bonito flakes. But that’s not all, seaweed scraps from the kitchen enter liquid nitrogen for an unreal bubble component. Finally, a spritz of soy sauce and rice vinegar give the cocktail the finishing touch.
“My background as a chef has made me think of drinks with a very culinary mindset,” said Jonathan Adler, the beverage director at Shinji’s. “So drinks that mirror flavors found in food has always been something that I’ve leaned into.”
Another savory sipper to try: Karaage, a $30 tipple featuring Mijenta reposado tequila, Amontillado Sherry, Lallier Brut, chicken, and brown butter. Ironically, despite the Japanese dishes on the menu, fried chicken isn’t one of them. 37 W. 20th St., Flatiron, shinjisbar.com
Sartiano’s
It can be easy to overlook and even underestimate one of the best drinks on Sartiano’s menu. The Italian establishment, located inside The Mercer hotel, has crafted the Dirty Umami Martini, a vodka-based work of art. The housemade olive-umami brine takes about a week to prepare and is a blend of three types of Italian olives, seaweed, capers, pickled peppercorns, and juniper berries. On top of the drink you’ll get the added savory pop of truffle caviar.
While some establishments see patrons switching to sweeter drinks as the weather gets warmer, beverage director Adam Baca, observed the opposite. After all, he mentioned, the bar’s clarified tomato martini remains one of the more popular drinks for summer. 99 Prince St., SoHo, sartianos.com
Sappe
The casual design at Sappe garners inspiration from 1950s Thailand, and specializes in Isan-style food. That means the northeastern Thai cuisine relies heavily on spices and fermentation, so much so, many menu items come punctuated with an asterisk to indicate heat-factor.
But that fieriness isn’t just seen in the food, the cocktail menu impresses too. We’re fond of the E-Tim tipple, a whiskey-based drink made with Nam Pla Wan, a sweetened fish sauce typically paired with tart fruit. Sappe takes the dip and transforms it into a cordial and foam. Add on a dried shrimp rim too, the perfect accent for any savory palette. 240 W. 14th St., Union Square, sappeisan.com
