Editorial
New York's bar scene has been the global benchmark for two decades. The 10 below aren't necessarily the most photographed; they're the rooms our New York editor visits when he's not working. Each one earns its place by what it does with the liquid and how the room makes you feel at 11 PM on a Tuesday. The full New York guide has more — but if you're in town for one night, start with one of these ten.
If it's date night, Dante or Bemelmans. If you want the technical-bartender show, Death & Co or Existing Conditions. If you want to see what the no-menu format looks like at its best, Attaboy. If you want a piece of the city's literal cocktail history, the Dead Rabbit or Bemelmans. New York rewards visitors who pick a neighbourhood and stick with it — bar-hopping is fine, but the rooms above are best when you commit.
Senior US Editor — drinks his way through New York and writes about which bars actually deserve their reputations.